PORT ALBERNI — It took more than six decades, an ocean crossing and a newspaper article, but childhood friends Jenny Stewart and Jenny Dafoe found each other — right down the road, as it turns out.
Stewart, 84, and Dafoe, 88, grew up in the same village in Scotland and left for Canada the same year. But it wasn’t until last week that the war brides discovered they were both living on Vancouver Island.
The friends believe fate brought them together.
Last week, Dafoe received a newspaper clipping from her cousin who lives in Vernon. The article was about a Port Alberni woman — Stewart — from Crosshouse, Scotland, whose lifelong dream came true when she met a Mountie dressed in full red serge earlier this month.
Dafoe, who lives in Comox, got a copy of the article from her sister, who noted the Crosshouse connection. Dafoe’s son, Alan, took her to visit Stewart.
“With the Internet, I had it all wrapped up in about 6.5 minutes,” he said.
The gathering took place at Stewart’s residence, the Ty Watson House.
“It’s the first time they’ve seen each other since they came to Canada,” said Janet Williams, Stewart’s daughter.
As the women reminisced about their childhoods and filled each other in on the events of their lives, they discovered their lives mirrored each other in many ways.
To start, both women are named Janet, but go by Jenny. They were married, about eight months apart, in the same church in Crosshouse, both to men named Walter.
“I remember meeting my future husband,” Dafoe said.
“This Canadian soldier walked into a fish and chips shop and asked, ‘Can you get tea here?’ I said, ‘No.’ After, I went up to him and said, ‘I don’t want to appear forward, but I live up the street and I’m sure my mom would make you a cup of tea.’ ”
Three weeks later, Walter was sent to Sicily for the war. When he returned, they were married.
When it was time for their husbands to return to Canada, the women stayed behind and followed a couple months later. They both sailed on the RMS Aquitania in 1946.
Stewart moved to Saskatoon before moving to B.C. in 1958, and Dafoe moved to Vancouver, where she lived until moving to the Island six years ago.
“Of the three Canadian war brides from Crosshouse, I was the first to come to Canada and get married,” Dafoe said. “When I got the OK to sail, I went running to Jenny’s house to tell her.”
Dafoe had two children. Her son was born in Scotland and her daughter was born in Canada. Stewart had four children, all born in Canada. Their daughters are both named Janet.
Alan remembers only one reference that his mom made to Stewart. “She would say, ‘I’m so glad I got off in Vancouver because I remember Jenny Milliken went to that godforsaken place [Saskatoon],” he said.
Although Stewart was a little apprehensive about the reunion, the old friends hit it off instantly, remembering teachers, classmates, landmarks and the places they used to hang out.
The visit also touched the staff at Ty Watson House.
“The connection and the coincidences, it just seems meant to be,” said volunteer Sharon Grisdale.
