John Repko and Carole King met in the spring of 1954. She was working at the Hi-Y, selling 10 cent pop, at her parent’s dance hall. He was there with a family friend. Within the year, John courted Carole and became engaged at Christmas. They married on October 22, 1955 at St. Michael’s Roman Catholic Church in Leamington.
John worked briefly for Chrysler before getting laid off. The rest of his work life revolved around farming. He’d work during the winter months at Hodge Tobacco factory on Lansdowne Street in Kingsville. During the warmer months, he farmed beside his father, on the family farm located on Road 2 East. He also worked a few winters at the Kingsville Arena.
Before getting married, Carole attended Business College. She found employment at “Jewiss and Paterson,” which eventually became Southland Insurance. Rob was born just before their fifth wedding anniversary. When Karen was born nine years later, Carole decided to stay home to focus on raising the children.
When Paul, who was born a year after Karen, was four Carole started working at Colasanti’s, propagating various plants and then focused on violets. Although she took the summers off work to stay with the younger children, she maintained her green thumb by helping on the farm. When Carole re-entered the work force, she worked in the cafeteria at the Kingsville High School for 18 years.
Together, along with John’s brother Andrew and wife Sandra, they grew hand-picked tomatoes and pickles for Heinz and cash crops like soya beans, corn and wheat. Fall meant time to sell pumpkins at the roadside. They continue to live in the house they built in 1955, although the farm has gone through many changes.
John and Carole have been able to enjoy decades of laughs with childhood friends.
John was an avid hunter and fisherman. Fall and winter meant hours of walking, hunting rabbits, deer, geese, and ducks, as well as fishing year-round. John still enjoys watching the farmers work in their fields. Carole volunteered in the canteen at the Kingsville Arena and can’t turn down a game of cards.
They have raised three children, Robert, Karen and Paul. There was also some kind of pet in the family, like dogs, cats, chipmunks, fish, turtles, hamsters or rabbits. Carole would always say “no more pets in the house,” but eventually another cat would find its way into the home. And somehow, new plants continue to appear in the house too. Carole now enjoys watching orchids bloom.
Happy 65th Wedding Anniversary, Mom and Dad.
Robert, Karen and Paul.