STADDON m@ca.on.middlesex_county.london.london_free_press 2006-10-14 published
STADDON, Douglas and Dorothy - 50th Anniversary
Open House Join us in celebrating our parent's 50th Wedding Anniversary October 21st, 2-5 p.m. West Lorne Legion, 142 John Street, West Lorne. Best Wishes only. Love, Doug, Diane and Ted, Darryl and Kathy, Darlene and Murv and families.

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STADLER m@ca.on.middlesex_county.london.london_free_press 2003-10-04 published
STADLER, Chris▼ and Cori (née MAYVILLE) - Happy 1st Anniversary
To a great couple with love from Jaye and Ed MAYVILLE, Maria▼ and Roland STADLER, Jennifer▼ STADLER, Michael and Jennifer MAYVILLE and Jean MILLER (Nana.▼)

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STADLER m@ca.on.middlesex_county.london.london_free_press 2003-10-05 published
STADLER, Chris▲ and Cori (née MAYVILLE) - Happy 1st Anniversary
September 21, 2002
To a great couple with love from Jaye and Ed MAYVILLE, Maria▲ and Roland STADLER, Jennifer▲ STADLER, Michael and Jennifer MAYVILLE and Jean MILLER (Nana.▲)

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STAFFORD m@ca.on.middlesex_county.london.london_free_press 2005-09-03 published
CAMPBELL, John and Marie (née STAFFORD) - 60 Wonderful Years
Sept. 8, 1945-2005
Congratulations and best wishes with love from your children, Catharine, Patricia, Peter and family.

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STAINES m@ca.on.york_county.toronto.globe_and_mail 2005-04-23 published
Amy WRIGHT and Wright STAINES -- Match:
By Judith TENENBAUM, Saturday,▼ April 23, 2005, Page M4
The careers of choreographer Amy Elizabeth WRIGHT and lighting designer Wright Harold STAINES intersected on the yellow brick road in a production of The Wizard of Oz at the Grand Theatre in London, Ontario As in that tale, the captivated couple would soon fly over their rainbow, meet the wicked witch of bureaucratic delay and recognize they had the power to control their destiny.
But first, the tornado of fate had to throw them together.
Technically speaking, that happened in December, 2002, during the Wizard of Oz run, but the two didn't actually connect until later. They were too busy concentrating on the demands of their work, which has involved a variety of high-profile celebrities. She has worked with stars that range from Peter O'Toole and Jeremy Irons to Hilary Duff and Woody Harrelson. He has worked with some of the biggest names on Canadian stage.
The two didn't notice each other until April, 2003, during a production of The Music Man at the Grand, when they bumped into each other in the theatre's elevator. Sparks flew, but the pair tried to keep their mutual attraction quiet. Savvy members of the cast soon noticed their ardent glances, however, as Ms. WRIGHT cozied up to the lighting table.
"Wright was the first person to encourage me to share my feelings, and he's funny," she says. "He's the first guy I really trust and can be myself with 100 per cent, and he'll still love me at the end of the day. Even if I argue with Wright, it's still okay."
The beguiled Mr. STAINES calls her "bright and shiny like a penny, gregarious and vivacious."
By December, he proposed. Mr. STAINES had been married once before, and his divorce papers hadn't been finalized. But with career obligations forcing them to spend much time apart, he says he decided "to risk marriage again because I can't give her up, and if I didn't, somebody else would get her."
He was familiar with life on the move, working as a roadie doing lighting design for rock and roll bands before settling into a long-term position at the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake, and later in his current position as head of lighting design at the Grand Theatre. At 44, he now sticks close to London, while Ms. WRIGHT has a working life that's more peripatetic.
Now 33, she was inspired by a workshop at the University of Western Ontario and "followed her dream as a dancer," enrolling at the Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts in Toronto. A part-time stint with Stephanie GARIN, casting director for such Toronto productions as Mamma Mia and Rent, led to a modest choreography assignment where her prodigious talent soon became apparent. In addition to many live-theatre productions, she has choreographed two dozen movie and television features, from 1999's Superstar to the coming The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio.
While working on the latter, she taught Woody Harrelson and Julianne Moore the foxtrot. "I ended up teaching Woody, his wife, and two girls how to tap dance at their house after the shoot," she says.
Their wedding was scheduled for August of 2004, but a stray marriage certificate put a glitch in Mr. STAINES's divorce proceedings and their plans appeared to be unravelling. "I was having a breakdown, saying, 'Oh my God, we can't get married,' Ms. WRIGHT says. "I was so upset, and devastated that I was going to call off the wedding."
Officiant Sarah BUNNETT- GIBSON, however, proposed a solution: a commitment ceremony. The idea thrilled the couple. "We decided because we had come so far with our wedding plans we would go with it," Ms. WRIGHT says, "and if the paperwork arrived in time to do it legally, fine. If it didn't, we'd have the most important part, committing and saying we love each other."
The ceremony took place on August 23, an off-night Monday for their theatre colleagues, on a sunset cruise in Toronto Harbour aboard the chartered yacht Yankee Lady III. The onboard reception for 110 guests was a summery barbecue, enlivened with red and white gingham and lantern accents. Later, as the vessel headed to shore, a coincidental pyrotechnic display at the Canadian National Exhibition lit up the sky, heralding the occasion.
Almost six months later, the tardy divorce papers finally in hand, the couple staged the legally prescribed finale on Valentine's Day, exactly 35 years after the bride's parents were wed, in a Rosedale home. The principals, minister, vows and wedding dress were a repeat performance. Graham COFFING, who appeared in the musical Bat Boy, stood for the bride, and Jenny KENT witnessed for her brother, the bridegroom. "Who gets to wear their wedding dress twice?" enthuses the bride, delighted with her new name, Mrs. Wright STAINES. " Two Wrights are too confusing."
As for others who find themselves on a tortuous path of marital red tape, the bridegroom has this advice: "Don't wait for love. If it's important to you, just have a commitment ceremony, and finish the legalities later."

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STALLAERT m@ca.on.middlesex_county.london.london_free_press 2002-12-04 published
Engagement Notice
SCLATER - STALLAERT
Ian and Caroline SCLATER of Belmont are pleased to announce the engagement of their son Scott Edward to Kelly Marie, daughter of Bill and Vicky SHARROW of Chatham.
The couple are planning a Spring Wedding.

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STALLAERT m@ca.on.middlesex_county.london.london_free_press 2003-07-12 published
Bob and Pauline (STALLAERT) SILVESTRO
Happy 25th Anniversary
July 15th 1978
With love from all your family.

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STAN m@ca.on.middlesex_county.london.london_free_press 2003-08-02 published
John and Hazel STAN
Celebrating 50 Years Together
Open House, August 10, 2003, 1-4pm,
Cherryhill Activity Club, 190 Cherryhill Circle,
London, Ontario.
Best Wishes only please.

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STANCHESON m@ca.on.york_county.toronto.toronto_star 2003-07-31 published
Walter and Anne STANCHESON Happy 60th Anniversary To our Parents and Dedo and Baba: Your family congratulates you with all our love and admiration. Your devotion to each other and to your family throughout the years has been a blessing. May your love continue filled with good health and happiness. With all our love, your family.

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STANGRET m@ca.on.york_county.toronto.globe_and_mail 2005-06-04 published
Nicola ETHERIDGE and Joseph SPINOSA -- Match:
By Judith TENENBAUM, Saturday,▲▼ June 4, 2005, Page M4
Some couples just want to have fun, and for Nicola ETHERIDGE and Joseph SPINOSA, the ties that bind include making special occasions contagiously funny. "We go pretty crazy at Christmas," Ms. ETHERIDGE says. "But we both love Halloween."
Spotlights and gravestones appear on the lawn of their century-old home every October 31, along with cobwebs and scary monsters. "We try to get the kids to scream. It's a riot."
"It's all for the children, and we're both kids at heart," says Mr. SPINOSA, who describes himself as "an oldie, goldie fan" who often dons an Elvis wig and costume to dish out treats.
Halloween, 2004, will probably remain their most memorable. With October 31 falling on a Sunday, Mr. SPINOSA planned his marriage proposal for Saturday evening at a dinner theatre in a legendary Stouffville haunted house. But Ms. ETHERIDGE felt under the weather, and he had to wait until their usual exchange of gory gifts on Halloween morning for his opportunity. Rummaging through her gift bag, she pulled out a skull candle, plush bat and a small white box containing a mock severed finger wrapped in blood-like stained cotton. Mr. SPINOSA gingerly removed the cotton to reveal a diamond.
"I freaked out, threw the tissue and we hugged and kissed," she laughs. The tissue was ignited by a candle. "It kind of killed the mood, but made it memorable."
The mirth in their relationship makes up for a rocky beginning. The pair, who met when Mr. SPINOSA was a supplier to the company where Ms. ETHERIDGE worked, Reaction Promotions Inc. (now called Accolade Reaction Promotions Group), initially dated for three months, just long enough for Ms. ETHERIDGE to become vulnerable. Mr. SPINOSA closed his firm, began work at hers, and for some murky reason about business and pleasure not mixing, abruptly ended the budding relationship.
"I knew back then he was the one," Ms. ETHERIDGE says.
The transition to a mere collegial Friendship left Ms. ETHERIDGE with a plummeting heart.
"I stayed away and looked elsewhere," Mr. SPINOSA says. "The Friendship we maintained was better than any relationship I'd experienced and eventually I came to my senses," he confesses.
Two years later, with some trepidation, Ms. ETHERIDGE gave him a second chance. The next five years were almost idyllic as they continued to work together at a Toronto promotional products company, she as operations manager and he as marketing manager.
Mr. SPINOSA continued to spend much time with the 30-strong cadre of buddies he had kept since attending St. Michael's College School and the couple added a 600-square-foot deck to their heritage home, big enough to fit all their Friends for annual keg parties.
The fun times rolled until a pivotal moment at a friend's wedding in September, 2004. A teary outpouring by Ms. ETHERIDGE in the church blanched Mr. SPINOSA. " It's my birthday next month and I'm sick and tired of waiting for you," she told him.
Motivated, he reviewed the situation. "I have a large family, a lot of nieces and nephews that are a huge part of my life and seeing Nicky childlike with them I realized the excellent qualities in her and that was part of moving forward."
Wedding planner Cynthia MARTYN located a perfect venue, the Capitol Event Theatre. Says Ms. ETHERIDGE, "I'm 36, I didn't want a fancy wedding, just a big party with an Elvis twist, a band and dancing."
Mr. SPINOSA, 38, a collector of Elvis memorabilia with a bust of the rock legend in his office, notes, "Her mother told me, as a kid, Nicola used to impersonate Elvis and she never thought it was weird. It's just a little connection we have."
On May 13, Reverend Dorian BAXTER, who is also an impersonator known as Elvis Priestley, officiated (assisted by Laura STANGRET,) as the couple recited traditional vows in front of their guests. After cocktails, Elvis Priestley reappeared, this time complete with white jump suit, sunglasses and guitar to croon Love Me Tender for the couple's first dance.
"There is some trepidation as you buck tradition," the bridegroom notes, "but I wanted people to get a glimpse of how we are as a couple."

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STANICH m@ca.on.york_county.toronto.toronto_star 2003-06-26 published
Happy 60th Anniversary! Rita and Alec STANICH. June 26th, 1943. Love Sharon and Judy.

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STANLEY m@ca.on.middlesex_county.london.london_free_press 2005-05-07 published
STANLEY, Clare and Lois - Happy 50th Wedding Anniversary
Family and Friends are invited to celebrate at an Open House Saturday May 14th, from 2-4 p.m. at the Ilderton Community Centre.
With love Anne, Lynn, Mike and families.

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STANLEY m@ca.on.york_county.toronto.globe_and_mail 2005-09-17 published
Jennifer STANLEY and Manuel SALAZAR -- Match:
By Judith TENENBAUM, Saturday,▲ September 17, 2005, Page M6
Cancun may mean tequila in the minds of most visitors, but not for abstainer Jennifer STANLEY. "I spit out chocolates if I realize they are made with liqueur," she says with a laugh. When her Friends decided to go to the Mexican resort town for an April, 2002, mini-break, she had no idea that it was dubbed "party city."
However, Ms. STANLEY sensed kismet had intervened when, as a tag-along with her companions, she was hustled into a bar where Manuel SALAZAR worked as a waiter and emcee. "The second we locked eyes, he walked over and started talking. It was the chemistry. You either have it, or you don't," she says. He asked her to wait until he finished working, and the two spent five hours just talking.
After that, the moonstruck pair would routinely rendezvous at the end of Mr. SALAZAR's shift and chat in the town square until 7 a.m. Then, Ms. STANLEY would dash back to her hotel and wake her girlfriends for a daily regimen of shopping, touring and tanning. "I don't think I slept the entire five days we were there, but I didn't want to be one of those girls who meets a guy on holiday and takes off on her Friends," she says.
Back in Toronto, clear-eyed but smitten, Ms. STANLEY soon realized a flurry of calls and pixelated images were no substitute for the real thing. So, on a work hiatus that summer, she took a tentative step and rented a house in Cancun. "I always thought my entire life would revolve around my career, but as soon as I met Manuel, I had different priorities. I wanted to do it on my terms, not go blindly into a whirlwind romance," she says. But she adds, beaming, "It was the summer we fell in love."
Fall brought an apprehensive Mr. SALAZAR to Toronto. "My worst fear was that I wouldn't fit in," he recalls thinking. But warmly embraced by the STANLEY family, snow was the only frostiness he encountered. "Toronto was different than I had thought. It is very multicultural and open."
After his four-month visit, it was Ms. STANLEY's turn to travel to Mexico. "I'd be on a plane with people dying to get to the beach, and I'd spend two weeks there and not see the beach once," she says, remembering that her junkets entailed day trips with Mr. SALAZAR and visits to his relatives.
A year into their relationship, on one such excursion, Mr. SALAZAR surprised her at their culinary compromise, a restaurant featuring Italian and Mexican cuisine. "Out comes a chocolate milkshake. It was a huge deal because they don't have milkshakes, so I drank it, and at the bottom was the ring," she says.
The next two years were defining. "We talked about where we would live and what we would do. Would it be easier for Manuel to create a life here with me and blend in rather than my going there?"
Ms. STANLEY, who appeared in commercials as a child, aspired to become a television news reporter. So she studied print journalism at Centennial College because, she says, "I wanted a strong backbone for interviewing, researching and writing." Her internship at The New VR in Barrie was production-oriented, but volunteer work at Shaw/Rogers soon landed her a job combining news reporting, cinematography and work as an anchor.
Her next quantum career leap followed a 2 a.m. epiphany when she abruptly woke and drafted the concept for Urban Insider, a show she now produces and hosts. The television series is a behind-the-scenes look at places like the SkyDome, the C.N. Tower and Woodbine racetrack. In 2004, it won the Impression Award for best television magazine series in Canada.
With his fiancée's career in ascendancy and his yet to be launched, Mr. SALAZAR graciously reasoned it would be "the Maple Leaf Forever," and the couple planned July 23 nuptials, "wanting to bring a little bit of Mexico to Canada."
With a Latin flourish, the bride, 27, appeared in a handmade red veil and tiara, a red beaded bustier embroidered in gold, and a white skirt panelled and trimmed with red. The bridegroom, 26, stood in a traditional Latin American shirt, a guayabera, cotton drawstring pants and sandals as Reverend Tom MASSENA officiated on the dock at Perfect Little Moments near Claremont, Ontario
Loads of sand and the adjacent pool transformed the STANLEY backyard into a beach-themed reception venue. Surprised guests were supplied sandals, had their caricatures drawn and snacked from a Mexican fruit stand. Palm trees and a tiki hut completed the ambience.
Revellers imbibed tequila shots in scooped-out cucumbers, drank Mexican beer and let loose to a mariachi band. A local Mexican restaurateur set out a buffet and dessert was the bridegroom's favourite -- individual tres leche cakes, which revealed fortune-telling charms at the pull of a ribbon for 13 guests. At dark, a dazzling fire-art display of twirling, swallowing and juggling lit the scene.
"Manuel and I met in a Cancun bar, which is why I believe in fate and destiny," the new Mrs. SALAZAR says. "I don't believe I would have found myself there for any other reason than to meet him."

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STANSELL m@ca.on.middlesex_county.london.london_free_press 2005-10-29 published
STANSELL, Mary and Arnold - 60th Wedding Anniversary
The family of Mary and Arnold Stansell invite relatives and Friends to help celebrate their sixty years of marriage. Open House - Sunday, November 6, 2-5 p.m., Memory Lane Room, New Sarum Diner. Best Wishes only.

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STARCHUK m@ca.on.grey_county.artemesia.flesherton.the_flesherton_advance 2008-06-18 published
SEH- TAILOR/TAYLOR / STARCHUK -- Marriage Announcement
On January 22, 2008 Jennifer SEH- TAILOR/TAYLOR of Lake Eugenia, daughter of Lilla SEH- TAILOR/TAYLOR and Elmer TAILOR/TAYLOR, was married to Dustin Ross STARCHUK of Kitchener, son of Shelly McCONNELL (and the late David STARCHUK,) and Neil MILLS. The ceremony was held at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in New Orleans, Louisiana. The STARCHUKs honeymooned in Europe and now reside in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida.
Page 11

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STARES m@ca.on.york_county.toronto.toronto_star 2005-02-20 published
After the wedding, the chill is gone
James STARES, Kathy MITCHELL wed in a wintry maze of ice
By Louise BROWN, Staff Reporter
The bride wore white -- long johns.
In fact, so did the groom. The best man wore a toque and guests tucked hot pads in their mitts.
When it's 9 below Celsius at the altar, it takes a few props to keep love warm.
But romance also kindled the mood yesterday, when snow buffs Kathy MITCHELL and James STARES tied the knot in ultimate hoser style, inside an ice maze near the C.N. Tower.
"It's a true Canadian wedding," laughed the 31-year-old bride, who has heard every possible cold-related joke since the couple agreed to marry at the Pontiac Ice Maze, built this week for the Canadian International Auto Show.
"I've been called the Ice Queen, the Ice Princess, you name it, but we just did it because a friend of a friend at a publicity firm was looking for a couple to get married at the maze," said MITCHELL, a former women's hockey player who snowboards, skis and skates with her new husband. They're going to Vermont for a ski honeymoon.
"We talked it over and embraced the idea because we love the outdoors."
Mind you, the bride worried her bouquet of white hydrangeas and red roses would freeze before she could throw it. Wind scattered the rose petals and fake snow being strewn along the path by the eight flower girls and "snow boys."
And the groom cut the ice cake with a chain saw.
"This gives new meaning to the term 'having cold feet,'" joked STARES, 35, as he wielded the whining power tool through all four see-through layers.
"But despite all the glitz, we were still really getting married, so we wanted it to be meaningful," said MITCHELL, who had the Louis Armstrong hit "What a Wonderful World" playing as she emerged from the maze with her twin sister at her side, to take her place on the makeshift stage.
"We were actually thinking they were going to have a beach wedding in the Caribbean, so this was a bit of a surprise," explained Dorothy MITCHELL, mother of the bride, who clutched a red blanket over her lap in the front row of the open-air chapel with fold-out chairs and the Gardiner Expressway in the background.
"But you only live once, so it's fun."
MITCHELL and STARES both work in product management, and were introduced 18 months ago by mutual Friends who yesterday served as maid of honour and best man on the gusty stage.
The couple got engaged last December and had been thinking of getting married on a sun-baked island until approached about the frosty alternative.
"But they've both been married before in traditional church weddings, so I think they wanted to be more casual this time, and just thought this would be a lot of fun," said Bev STARES, mother of the groom.
Still, there are logistical challenges to putting your nuptials on ice:
A heated tent was provided where the 50 guests could wait until the 15-minute ceremony began.
Burlap was laid along the bride's route in the maze so her red high heels wouldn't slip on the ice.
The bride wore a heavy white fur-trimmed cape over her gown, which was bought in the Spadina fashion district and featured an unusual red top.
City hall marriage official Aestus ROGERS had to compete to be heard with the wind howling across his microphone as he read the non-denominational vows. ROGERS too wore many layers beneath a heavy cape.
Guests were handed gift-wrapped hand-warmers for inside their mitts as they watched the exchange of vows. The bride kept on her white gloves as she slipped on her wedding ring, while the groom donned his on a bare hand.
The newlyweds drove off in a car dragging ice cube trays off the bumper.
After the sub-zero service, the party proceeded to warmer digs for the reception at a King St. restaurant.
But flower girl Hannah BARRICK, the bride's 12-year-old niece, summed up the family's sentiments about the unusual ceremony.
"I think it was cool -- in both ways."

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STARK m@ca.on.york_county.toronto.globe_and_mail 2003-06-11 published
Gay marriage is legalized
Ontario appeal court rewrites law, says couples must be given licences
Activists are ecstatic, Ottawa faces tight deadline to decide on appeal
KLEIN rejects ruling, says he'll invoke notwithstanding clause in Alberta
By Kirk MAKIN Justice Reporter; With reports from Mark HUME in Kelowna, and Canadian Press Wednesday, June 11, 2003 - Page A1
The exclusion of gays from the institution of marriage is illogical, offensive and unjustifiable, the Ontario Court of Appeal said yesterday in a historic judgment that makes same-sex marriages legal for the first time in Canada.
The ruling took effect immediately in Ontario -- two gay men were married yesterday in a Toronto court -- increasing the pressure on the federal government to consider legislation on same-sex unions or go to the Supreme Court. A decision on the latter option must be made by June 30.
Alberta Premier Ralph KLEIN boosted the stakes further, saying his province is not about to recognize same-sex marriages as legal, and will invoke the notwithstanding clause of the Constitution to override any court ruling recognizing a right to such marriages.
"If there is any move to sanctify and legalize same-sex marriages, we will use the notwithstanding clause, period, end of story," Mr. KLEIN said at the Western Premiers Conference in Kelowna, B.C.
The Ontario court methodically dismantled every argument made before it in support of heterosexual-only marriages. It refused even to permit a grace period for Ontario to bring its laws into conformity with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Courts in British Columbia and Quebec have also struck down marriage laws, but gave the governments time to rewrite their legislation.
The Ontario judges said denying same-sex marriage is tantamount to declaring homosexuals a lesser order of being, helping to perpetuate an impression that gays and lesbians are incapable of forming loving relationships.
"A purpose that demeans the dignity of same-sex couples is contrary to the values of a free and democratic society and cannot be pressing and substantial," said Chief Justice Roy McMURTRY, Mr. Justice James MacPHERSON and Madam Justice Eileen GILLESE.
"Same-sex couples are capable of forming long, lasting, loving and intimate relationships. A law that prohibits same-sex couples from marrying does not accord with the needs, capacities and circumstances of same-sex couples."
The judges ordered Toronto's city clerk and the provincial registrar-general to issue and accept marriage licences for two couples married under the Christian tradition of publication of banns in 2001 -- Joe VARNELL and Kevin BOURASSA; and Elaine and Anne VAUTOUR -- making them the first gay marriages in the country.
Henceforth, the court ordered the definition of marriage in Ontario to be "the voluntary union for life of two persons to the exclusion of all others."
The ruling was the culmination of decades of strategic prodding by gay couples, associations and legal activists. All were ecstatic yesterday over the strength of the Ontario ruling.
"This is why people come to Canada," said Michael LESHNER, who married his partner, Michael STARK, within hours of the ruling. "They marvel at our values. We have sent an unmistakable message that love can conquer all."
"It's a momentous day," said Kyle RAE, a gay Toronto city councillor. "It is a great day for equality in Canada."
A lawyer for the couples, Martha McCARTHY, predicted many more marriages in the days ahead, while the federal government ponders a possible appeal. "The more marriages we get, the more inevitable this is," she said in an interview. "The time to be right is ripe, as Martin Luther KING would say."
Courts in Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec have now overturned marriage laws. But the rulings in British Columbia and Quebec did not take effect immediately because they allowed governments until mid-2004 to redraft the laws.
A final clash is now possible before a Supreme Court of Canada bench that has steadily established a reputation for defending gay rights. The federal government has only until June 30 to decide whether to appeal the British Columbia ruling. The Liberal government is also expecting a report this week from a parliamentary committee examining same-sex marriage.
Prime Minister Jean CHRÉTIEN said yesterday Justice Minister Martin CAUCHON is looking at the judgment along with the other rulings, and said it is too early to know whether it will be appealed.
Mr. CAUCHON said Ottawa recognizes it must move quickly toward a "national solution" to the same-sex debate.
"We see the direction that the courts are taking now," Mr. CAUCHON said after a cabinet meeting. "I'm asking for a little bit of time to look at the decision and to come back with a statement."
The Ontario Court of Appeal was not in a mood for patience, and it was not willing to run the risk that provincial legislators would devise wording to circumvent their ruling.
"A temporary suspension allows a state of affairs that has been found to violate standards embodied in the Charter to persist for a time despite the violation," the court said.
It also pointed out that were it simply to render the entire law invalid, gay people would be vulnerable to the wrath of heterosexuals who found themselves temporarily denied the benefits of marriage.
The decision rested on the constitutional right to equality and emphasized the "dignity" of individuals.
Launched by eight same-sex couples, the litigation had targeted a common-law definition of marriage as a union between "one man and one woman." The couples won their challenge in Ontario's Divisional Court, but it, too, suspended its ruling for two years.
Yesterday, the Court of Appeal specifically rejected arguments that procreation is an integral pillar of marriage.
"Same-sex couples can choose to have children through adoption, surrogacy and donor insemination," the judges reasoned. "Importantly, procreation and child-rearing are not the only purposes of marriage, or the only reason why couples choose to marry. The opposite-sex requirement in marriage is not rationally connected to the encouragement of procreation and child-rearing."
They said government lawyers offered mere speculation instead of proof to show why the exclusion of same-sex marriages was a valid social objective -- and that the definition of marriage was far from a minimal infringement.
What Canadian think about gay issues
The Ontario Court of Appeal ruled yesterday that the right to marry should be extended to same-sex couples.
Recent surveys have produced the following results:
Do you support or oppose gay marriage?
Support Oppose
Males (18-34) 61.2% 33.9%
Females (18-34) 69.2% 22.2%
If the Supreme Court of Canada said that the federal government had to give gays and lesbians the right to be married, do you think that the government should or should not use its power to overrule the court's decision?
Should Should not
The Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees equal rights for women and ethnic and religious minorities and other groups. In your opinion, should the Charter also guarantee rights for gays and lesbians?
Yes No
Note: Graphic does not include respondents who did not know or who refused to answer.
source: Centre For Research And Information On Canada

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STARK m@ca.on.york_county.toronto.globe_and_mail 2003-06-11 published
Same-sex married couples rejoice
Ruling recognizes union of couples married in 2001; others rush to wed
By Estanislao OZIEWICZ Wednesday, June 11, 2003 - Page A4
Toronto -- For Kevin BOURASSA, 45, and Joe VARNELL, 33, becoming Canada's first same-sex married couple is bittersweet, even as advocates call their union a world first.
"Gee, I wish my mom could have seen this," Mr. VARNELL said. "Because of what the court did in Ontario today no mother will ever again not be able to dance at her son's wedding. That's a wonderful thing."
With his "lawfully wedded husband" at his side, Mr. VARNELL said they planned to celebrate by going home, popping a bottle of champagne and cuddling with their cat.
"If you forgive me, I never want to see any of you in my living room again," he said.
The pioneering couple, who were wed on January 14, 2001, and other same-sex couples seeking to be married in civil ceremonies were speaking at a news conference after a historic Ontario Court of Appeal ruling that they have a constitutional right to marriage.
"Canada gets the gold medal for same-sex marriage around the world," said Trent MORRIS, lawyer for the Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto.
"I would like to congratulate them for being the first same-sex couple married not only in Canada but, as Mr. MORRIS indicated, the first same-sex couple in the world," said Cynthia PETERSON, lawyer for Equality for Gays And Lesbians Everywhere, a national advocacy organization for gays and lesbians.
The Netherlands became the first country in the world to legalize marriage for gays and lesbians on April 1, 2001. This year, Belgium became the second country to open marriage to same-sex couples. Unlike its northern neighbour, Belgium did not allow such couples to adopt children.
Mr. VARNELL, an e-commerce consultant, and Mr. BOURASSA, a former bank manager who is now a full-time advocate for marriage equality, were wed at the Metropolitan Community Church before the Dutch law was changed, using an ancient -- and legally valid -- Christian tradition of publication of banns, which amount to a notice of intent to marry. This allowed them to avoid having to get a marriage licence issued by the city.
The hitch, however, has been that whether a marriage in Ontario is preceded by civil licence or by banns, it has to be registered by the province's registrar-general.
Yesterday's court ruling not only ordered the City of Toronto to issue licences to same-sex couples but also told the province to register same-sex marriages. The city complied immediately, and by late yesterday morning had issued licences to several couples, including Ontario Crown attorney Michael LESHNER, 55, who a few hours later married his partner of two decades, Michael STARK, 45, in front of Mr. Justice John HAMILTON of the Ontario Superior Court.
"This is first and foremost a Canadian love story," said Mr. LESHNER, who has been a thorn in the side of the Ontario government for years.
"This is why people come to Canada, because they marvel at our values, and we've sent an unmistakable message that love can conquer all, the love of two good men can defeat everything.... It [homophobia] is dead legally as of today."
The joy and optimism of homosexual groups was tempered by the Ontario government's reluctance to embrace the ruling immediately without reservation.
Attorney-General Norman STERLING told the legislature that he was waiting to hear whether the federal government would appeal the decision to the Supreme Court. Although municipalities and provinces administer marriages, the federal government is responsible for defining marriage.
"We will, of course, follow what the court says in the decision and follow that to the letter of the law," Mr. STERLING said.
Among those celebrating yesterday were Joyce BARNETT and Alison KEMPER, who also picked up their marriage licences at Toronto City Hall and will marry in July, 2004. The women, both of whom are ordained in the Anglican Church, have been together since Their two children were delighted. "I knew that nobody could say I didn't have a family," said Robbie, 11, who was born to Ms. KEMPER. " Canada has finally figured out it's unfair to deny this to anybody."
His sister Hannah, 17, said she has grown up to find that she is heterosexual. She said she is indebted to her parents for bringing her up "where it's okay to be what you want to be."
The court ruling did not sit well with some religious organizations, including the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada.
Evangelical Fellowship of Canada president Bruce CELEMENGER said the court has fundamentally redefined marriage.
"It is not an appropriate use of the Charter to redefine pre-existing social, cultural and religious institutions," he said.

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STARK m@ca.on.york_county.toronto.toronto_star 2003-06-11 published
Gay couple married after ruling
Couple celebrates end of 20-year fight
Judges rewrite definition of marriage
Tracey TYLER and Tracy HUFFMAN Staff Reporters
Two gay men said "I do" yesterday, after Ontario's highest court said "they can."
Crown Attorney Michael LESHNER and his long-time partner Michael STARK were married by Mr. Justice John HAMILTON in a hastily arranged ceremony in the jury waiting room of a Toronto courthouse, as a crowd that included everyone from judges to janitors looked on.
Just hours before, the Ontario Court of Appeal rewrote the definition of marriage to include same-sex couples, saying denying gays and lesbians the ability to marry offends their dignity, discriminates on the basis of sexual orientation and violates their equality rights under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
A unanimous three-judge panel, made up of Chief Justice Roy McMURTRY and justices James MacPHERSON and Eileen GILLESE, then took the issue further than any other court in the world.
Gay and lesbian marriage became legal in Ontario, effective immediately.
"Michael LESHNER, will you please repeat after me," said HAMILTON, as he began the short, civil ceremony. "I do solemnly declare that I do not know of any lawful impediment why I may not be joined in matrimony to Michael Clifford STARK."
Both men repeated the declaration before pledging their vows.
"I Michael, take you Michael, to be my lawful wedded spouse," said LESHNER. "To have and to hold, from this day forward, whatever circumstances or experiences life may hold for us."
HAMILTON, an Ontario Superior Court judge, asked both men to place rings on each other's fingers, then made it official.
"By the power vested in me by the Marriage Act, I pronounce you Michael, and you Michael -- affectionately known as 'the Michaels' -- to be lawfully wedded spouses."
"You are now married," said HAMILTON, who later said it was "an honour" to perform the ceremony.
LESHNER, 55, and STARK, 45, kissed and popped champagne.
Speaking to reporters, LESHNER said he regards the court's judgment as, "Day One for millions of gays and lesbians around the world" and the culmination of a personal 20-year battle to end "legally sanctioned homophobia."
"I wanted to put a stake through that sucker," he said.
His 90-year-old mother, Ethel, who beamed and sang in her wheelchair, drew her satisfaction on a smaller scale.
"I feel wonderful, if he does. And I'm sure he does -- take a look at his face," she said.
"I can't 'rah, rah, rah.' I'm not the type of person to do that," she said. "I'm just happy my son is happy -- I know he's getting a nice guy."
While LESHNER and STARK are believed to be the first gay couple to wed after same-sex marriage became legal yesterday, they may not be the first gay Ontario couple to be legally married. That distinction appears to fall to two same-sex couples who were married in a double ceremony at Toronto's Metropolitan Community Church in January, 2001.
The appeal court ordered the province to register marriage certificates issued to those couples, Kevin BOURASSA and Joe VARNELL and Elaine and Anne VAUTOUR. The judges also ordered the clerk of the City of Toronto to issue marriage licences to LESHNER and STARK and six other couples whose licence applications were held in abeyance pending a ruling by the courts. The province and the city told the judges during a hearing in April that they would abide by whatever the appeal court decided.
Less clear is where the federal government stands.
Justice Minister Martin CAUCHON told reporters yesterday he believes Members of Parliament should have a say in the debate about same-sex marriage, but the government also sees where courts across the country are heading on the issue.
The British Columbia Court of Appeal and a Quebec Superior Court judge have also ruled the common law definition of marriage violates the Charter's equality provisions, but didn't go as far as Ontario in immediately extending marriage to same-sex couples, preferring instead to give Parliament until July, 2004 to change the law.
The Ontario Court of Appeal said there's no need to wait: Changing the definition of marriage, effective immediately, won't create any public harm.
Federal justice department spokesperson Dorette POLLARD said the government has until September 9 to decide whether to seek leave to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court of Canada.
In the meantime, the government does not have the option of seeking a court injunction to stop same-sex marriages from taking place, she said.
If a further appeal to the Supreme Court is in the cards, it could return to the Court of Appeal to ask for a stay of yesterday's ruling, effectively putting it in suspension, POLLARD said.
She was unable to say how that would affect same-sex marriages that have already taken place.
Opponents of same-sex marriage, however, had no difficulty expressing an opinion on yesterday's decision.
By reformulating the definition of marriage, the appeal court ignored "centuries of precedent" and rendered "ordinary Canadians' views irrelevant," said Derek ROGUSKY, a vice-president of Focus on the Family, whose interests were represented by The Association for Marriage and the Family in Ontario, an intervenor in the case.
In its decision yesterday, written not by one judge in particular but collectively as "the court," the appeal panel changed the definition of marriage from being "the voluntary union for life of one man and one woman," to "the voluntary union for life of two persons to the exclusion of all others."
A person's sense of dignity and self worth can only be enhanced by the recognition that society gives to marriage and denying people in same-sex relationships access to that most basic of institutions violates their dignity, the court said.
"The ability to marry, and to thereby participate in this fundamental societal institution, is something that most Canadians take for granted. Same-sex couples do not; they are denied access to this institution simply on the basis of their sexual orientation."
Preventing same-sex couples from marrying perpetuates the view that they are not capable of forming loving and lasting relationships and not worthy of the same respect and recognition as heterosexual couples, the court added.
It was ruling on an appeal from an Ontario Divisional Court decision last year. The Divisional Court said the common law definition of marriage as an exclusively heterosexual union was unconstitutional, but decided 2-1 to leave it up to Parliament to rewrite the law by July, 2004.
The dissenting judge in that case, Mr. Justice Harry LAFORME, who would have changed the definition immediately, attended yesterday's ceremony.
In its 60-page decision yesterday, the judges systematically disposed of Ottawa's arguments for preserving marriage as a heterosexual domain, saying they were filled with irrelevancies, stereotypes and "circular reasoning."
The government argued that marriage has always been understood as a special kind of monogamous institution that brings the sexes together for the purposes of procreating, raising children and companionship.
That isn't something that lawmakers dreamed up; it predates the law, the government said.
Who invented the concept of marriage doesn't matter, the court said; What does is how gays and lesbians fare under a legal regime that excludes them from the institution.
The government was avoiding the main issue by arguing that marriage "just is" heterosexual and benefits society as a whole, the court said.
"The couples are not seeking to abolish the institution of marriage," wrote the judges. "They are seeking access to it."
With files from Mary GORDON

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STARKMAN m@ca.on.york_county.toronto.toronto_star 2002-12-03 published
STERN / STARKMAN
-- Sylvia and Zanvel STERN, Sheila STARKMAN and George TEMPLETON and David and Joyce STARKMAN are thrilled to announce the engagement of their children, CORINNE to BRETT. Proud grandparent is Bronka STEIMAN. Excited siblings, nieces and nephews are Jill, Derek, Zachary and Jared STERN; Andrea, Steven, Alex and Charli STARKMAN and Debbie STARKMAN.

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STEAD m@ca.on.middlesex_county.london.london_free_press 2006-10-07 published
PEARSON / STEAD -- Forthcoming Marriage
Nancy PEARSON and Steve PEARSON and Dennis and Sandy STEAD are pleased to announce the forthcoming marriage of their children, Sara and Derek. The wedding will take place on Saturday, October 14, 2006 in Thamesford.

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STECKENREITER m@ca.on.middlesex_county.london.london_free_press 2005-07-16 published
STECKENREITER / DOBSON
Peter STECKENREITER and Heather TRUEMNER are pleased to announce the upcoming wedding of their daughter, Lindsay Ellen to Daniel Ray DOBSON, son of Steven and Lee DOBSON.
The marriage will take place in London, at Bellamere Winery on Saturday, July 30, 2005.

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STEDELBAUER m@ca.on.middlesex_county.london.london_free_press 2006-07-08 published
STEDELBAUER / MARTIN -- Forthcoming Marriage
The parents of Noelle STEDELBAUER and Ross MARTIN are pleased to announce the forthcoming celebration of marriage. The wedding will take place on Saturday, July 29, 2006 at Sunningdale Golf and Country Club. May they be blessed with a lifetime of love, health and happiness.

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STEEL m@ca.on.grey_county.artemesia.flesherton.the_flesherton_advance 2005-06-15 published
50th Wedding Anniversary
By Bob STEEL, Page 16
June 4, 2005, Saturday, was an eventful day for Mr. and Mrs. C and C CATCHER, the day chosen for a celebration of the 50th anniversary of Christopher Robert CATCHER and Sara Clazien (LEKX) wedding in Trinity Anglican Church, Durham by the Rev. Reginald JACKSON. The matron of honour was Mrs. Patricia JAMES (Christopher's oldest sister) and the best man was David CATCHER (the brother of Chris.) The reception was at the LEKX family farm near Durham. The actual wedding was March 5, 1955.
At their home located on the corner of the Old Durham Road and Grey Road 14, the celebration ran from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with up to 180 people attending.
Part of the day was a renewal of the wedding vows conducted by the Rev. Anne MILLS, very recently the minister for Christ Church Markdale (Anglican). All present took part in the ceremony. Clazien's brother, William (the LEKX family Is from Holland) sang a solo and the LEKX family sang the hymns.
For their honeymoon, Chris and Clazien drove to French River to stay on a farm of Christopher's parents where he built his first house and became a farmer.
One day on the way to Sudbury their first child was born in the car! They stopped at Burwash to get a doctor. This was the evening of December 22, 1955. The baby was Isobel Patricia.
In the fall of 1956 they came back to the Durham/Priceville area. Chris sold for Watkins Products patent medicines, animal minerals, etc.
Their home was the current one which Chris purchased in 1960. Children were Isobel, Tonia, Mary and Thomas. Christopher John was the fifth in 1962. The family have lived there for 45 years come this August.
They have always been churchgoers. At the present time they attend Christ Church Markdale, Anglican. Both have helped in the church. Clazien is president of the Anglican Church Women. Soon their garden flowers are provided for the altar. Chris is a volunteer at Rockwood Terrace, a seniors' home in Durham. Both Clazien and Chris work in their garden and around the house.
On June 5, the weather was sunny and warm. First visitors were Doctor and Mrs. CHAN at 9 a.m. From 10 a.m. it was visitors.
Chris has worn the Scottish kilt and sporran so his piper Friends came and played the pipes from 11 a.m. to 12: 30 p.m. Kaelen MacNEILL, the 14-year old Highland dancer (who lives next door) performed for about one hour and then helped the CATCHERs. She goes to Grey Highlands High School. There was a large tent for food and shelter. There were flowers and guests everywhere. The food was delicious.
There were innumerable automobiles. Visitors came locally and from Milton, Orangeville, Fergus, Stratford, Guelph, Paisley, Wiarton, Owen Sound, London, Gananoque, Kanata, Toronto and Richmond Hill. There were four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
The CATCHERs thank everyone who attended and made the event a lovely, unforgettable event.

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STEELE m@ca.on.middlesex_county.london.london_free_press 2003-10-25 published
STEELE, Ron and Mary - Happy 50th Anniversary
Love and best wishes from your children and grandchildren.

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STEELE m@ca.on.middlesex_county.london.london_free_press 2006-06-17 published
STEELE, Archie and Vivian - Happy 50th Anniversary
Congratulations Mom and Dad
The family of Archie and Vivian STEELE are pleased to announce their 50th Wedding Anniversary, June 16, 2006. A private family gathering has been arranged. No gifts please. Donations may be made to the Children's Wish Foundation if desired.

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STEEN m@ca.on.york_county.toronto.toronto_star 2003-11-01 published
STEEN, Marilyn and Dennis - Happy 50th Anniversary. Married: November 1st, 1953. Congratulations with all our love from your children and grandchildren.

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STEEPER m@ca.on.middlesex_county.london.london_free_press 2005-08-27 published
STEEPER, Joan and Oscar - Happy 60th Wedding Anniversary
September 8th, 1945 - 2005
Love and Best Wishes from your family, Yvonne and Larry, Maxine and Ron, Leslie Anne and Gerry, Mark, Julie, Jason, Anita, Kim, Isaac, Joanie, Katherine, Leeanne, Wanita, Chrissy and Abby.
Please join us for an Open House at the residence of Leslie Anne and Gerry DOXTATOR on September 10, 2005 from 1-4 p.m. at 126 Michelle Avenue, Parkhill.
In lieu of gifts, donations can be made to the Children's Hospital of Western Ontario, Make A Wish Foundation or the Canadian Cancer Society.

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STEEVES m@ca.on.middlesex_county.london.london_free_press 2005-01-22 published
STEEVES, Jack and Mary - 60th Wedding Anniversary
January 23, 2005
Daughter Kate (Larry) LITTLE, granddaughters Kim (David) MILSTIEN and Marni (Darren) LANGHORN and great-grandchildren Andrew and Megan LANGHORN thank Mamaw and Bappy for all their love and support. We pray God will continue to bless you both.

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STEFANITS m@ca.on.middlesex_county.london.london_free_press 2002-12-17 published
50th Wedding Anniversary
Georgina and "Frankie" STEFANITS
December 26, 2002
Family, Friends and neighbours are invited to help celebrate this special occasion with Georgina and Frank at an Open House, Sunday December 29, 2002 between 1-4 p.m. Donnybrook Legion, Dorchester. Best wishes only. Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad with love from your children and their families.

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ST surnames continued to m200st02.htm