By Abby Cianciolo
Photography Editor
Living in a society where divorce rates are skyrocketing and marriages are tossed about, it’s hard to imagine enduring love across the years. After being married for over 60 years, Westford residents Phyllis and George Seddon, they have made that vision a reality.
Although Phyllis recently passed away, their love still lives on and was celebrated this past Sunday at Phyllis’s Celebration of Life at Westford Academy’s Performing Arts Center.
The celebration was put together by three senior girls, Ali Flagler, Haley Bomal, and Hannah Peternell with the help of dean Betsey Murphy as part of a change the world project for their senior health class. These girls spent time with the George Seddon multiple times a week and were able to form an unbreakable connection to George and his wife, Phyllis.
The outreach to the Seddons, or “the dream team” as they are referred to as, began with 2009 Westford Academy graduate Danielle Lavallee. A senior herself at the time, she participated in the same change the world project and got to know the couple while she cleaned their house. Although, during the ceremony she added that she spent most of the time just listening to Phyllis and George’s stories.
“George and Phyllis used to call me their angel,” said Lavelle during the ceremony. “But now I have my own angel looking down on me.”
The celebration began with the singing of “Over the Rainbow” performed by the Westford Academy Honors Choir. Following the song, Don Grantham of the United Methodist Church opened up the celebration with a prayer. Grantham recalled how Phyllis and George always were big fans of hymns, Phyllis’s favorite being “Jesus Loves Me.”
Principal Jim Antonelli continued the celebration by talking about how much the Seddons meant to the Westford Academy community. Large supporters of WA athletics, Phyllis and George would be at every Friday night football game and organized the 50/50 raffles at the games. The Seddons were recognized as prestigious members of the WA Athletics Hall of Fame. Antonelli closed with a reading from “Footprints in the Sand” by poet Mary Stevenson.
Dean Mike Parent and English teacher Janet Keirstead followed Antonelli’s speech and reiterated how much the Seddons meant to their teams. Parent smiled and told the audience how both Phyllis and George would come in every Monday morning with a smile on their faces and a white envelope in their hands to report how much money they had made from the game that weekend. Keirstead said how Phyllis’s cheerful energy on the sidelines of the softball games would always make her smile.
Joyce Crane, editor of the Westford Eagle, presented a video produced by the Westford CAT. The video featured pictures of Phyllis and George through the years. The couple’s memories and pictures were paired with voice recordings of Phyllis from an Eagle Scout project the couple participated in. During the video, Phyllis talked about her time working in the hospitals during World War II and how she was proud to be a part of the war effort.
Westford Academy math teacher and longtime friend of the Seddons Lori Ditto recalled her many memories with George. From the time she was a teenager, Ditto has known the Seddons and was very appreciative for all they have done for her and her family over the years.
A time for sharing stories about Phyllis followed. With such a large turnout for the celebration, there was many people who shared their fond memories of Phyllis and George. A common theme for most of the stories was their dedication to the students. Since the pair could never have children of their own, the Seddons saw all the children who got the opportunity to know them as their children and grandchildren.
Nancy Burns, a friend of both George and Phyllis, told the audience about the time when she was going to sing the National Anthem at one of the football games. Her nerves had gotten to her, but once she heard Phyllis and George’s patriotic voices singing along, she had the courage to keep on singing. Burns then led the audience in singing the National Anthem during the celebration.
Ali Flagler, Hannah Peternell, and Haley Bomal took the stage after the sharing of stories. Spending as much time with the couple as they had, one thing that stuck out in their minds was the love that George and Phyllis had for each other.
“One of my favorite memories of the two of them together was something George had told me and Hannah and Haley one night at dinner,” said Flagler. “It was their nightly routine: One, George gets to Phyllis’s nursing home and they have dinner together. Two, they would hold hands and talk ‘not just chit chat, you know! real conversation’ George would say. Three, kissing time! If there was one thing Phyllis loved more than George, it was kissing him. Four, George would give her a final kiss, walk backwards to the door, blow her another kiss and say ‘goodnight baby! I love you!’ and go home. Five, at 9pm sharp, no matter where they were or what they were doing they would look at the sky and say ‘Goodnight I love you’ to one another.”
“One day, George was really sick so he blew a kiss to Phyllis, but she said that wasn’t good enough so she leaned over and gave him a big smooch,” Peternell added.
Haley Bomal, unlike Peternell and Flagler, had known Phyllis and George since she was in the Pop Warner Cheerleading program. The Seddons would be at every game to cheer on the football players and joke with the cheerleaders. George would even participate in the “Gusto Cheer” which he proved to the crowd during the celebration.
Finally, it was time for George to stand in front of the group gathered there today and talk about his best friend, Phyllis.
“It hurts, it really does,” said Seddon on the death of his wife.
George took this time to give thanks to many of the people who came out to celebrate Phyllis’s life and for allowing them to be such a large part of the Westford community.
The celebration drew to a close with the singing of “Amazing Grace” and “Let There Be Peace on Earth” performed by performing arts teacher Michael Towers and Chris Gosselin. To officially conclude the ceremony, George was awarded an American flag on behalf of Phyllis’s service to her country accompanied by the “Star Spangled Banner.”
Phyllis and George’s story of love that lasts a lifetime is a true inspiration to everyone around the couple.
“They have taught me that love can last forever. Phyllis passed away the luckiest person I know, because she had George by her side,” Peternell said.
