Page 3 - The Wayne Dispatch

It’s a love story and baby, she said yes

By Carolyn Marnon
Robert (Bob) Phillips met his
lovely bride, Irene, over 70 years ago
when he attended a sock-hop at the
Wayne Recreation Center where City
Hall currently stands. Irene had
traveled all the way from Plymouth
to attend the dance in perhaps 1948
or 1949. No one in the family knows
why Irene traveled so far, at least in
those times, to attend the dance. Per-
haps it had something to do with her
seven (that’s the approximate num-
ber given) sisters and competition
among them?
On April 8, Bob and Irene will cel-
ebrate their 70th anniversary. He’s
now 92 and she is 90. Bob Phillips served in the Army during
Bob grew up on Williams St in the Korean War.
Wayne and graduated from the old
Wayne Memorial High School when
it was on Michigan Avenue. He
worked various jobs in Wayne. He
was an usher at the old Wayne The-
atre, now torn down. His son, Matt,
thinks Bob might even have an old
brick from the theatre after it was Bob and Irene Phillips celebrate their 70th anniversary this month.
torn down. He also delivered milk
for The Wayne Dairy which was been in Wayne. He was a mechanic, is one of their favorite places to dine.
owned and operated by his father. service manager, salesman and even- They used to love going to the Elks
Bob’s father happens to be featured tually partial owner of the former BF Club for dinner and dancing. They’ve
on the mural painted on the side of Goodrich in Wayne. He and Irene travelled a lot, including to the Ba-
the State Wayne Theatre. raised Matt and Doug in Wayne. Matt hamas, Hawaii, Las Vegas and
The Wayne Dairy stood where the remembers their dad taking them to Florida. Bob Phillips in 1950 when he was in the
strip mall that holds Goody’s Pet Lions, Tigers and Red Wings games. Although his memory is now af-
Supplies and O’Reilly Auto Parts cur- The kids were always involved in fected by Alzheimer’s and dementia, Army during Korean War times.
rently resides. It served lunch and sports. Bob is still able to get around. He their 70th anniversary. Congratula-
sweet confections like malts and sun- Bob and Irene enjoy going out to and Irene will most likely go out to tions on reaching this magnificent
daes at the old-fashioned soda bar. lunch and dinner. My Place in Wayne dinner with the family to celebrate milestone!
Bob and his three sisters all worked
there. They even made their own ice
cream for the Dairy. The Wayne
Dairy was lost as part of urban re-
newal. Bob’s parents then packed up
and headed down south to Fort
Lauderdale.
Bob and Irene had two sons,
Matthew and Doug and eventually
were able to add two daughters- in-
love, Diane and Nancy, when their
sons married. The couple also count
two grandsons and five great-grand-
children on the family tally, with an-
other great-grandchild on the way.
Bob served in the Army during
the Korean War. Matt says his dad al-
ways joked about how before he
went to war, Irene would have to wait
23 months before she could see him
again.
Although Bob has lived in various
houses, those houses have always The Wayne Dairy as it appeared in 1963.
The Wayne Dispatch · April 2021 · 3