A Las Vegas anniversary to remember

It was certainly ‘Viva Las Vegas’ for this happy couple, where an Elvis celebrant led a ceremony to renew their vows.

Twelve years on, they remember the unforgettable event like it was yesterday.

“We had the most wonderful time, we laughed so much, danced a lot, and had so much fun,” Marian recalls.

The trip of a lifetime came after Marian recovered from a back injury in 2010.

“A couple of years earlier, I fell down a flight of stairs. The specialist said I had to be very careful because a piece of bone was partly snapped,” she says.

“One day I walked out of the house and got this terrible pain in my back, so was rushed to hospital and operated on. When we eventually went back to see the specialist, and thankfully he gave me the all-clear. Bob said to me ‘I’ve got something to ask you – why don’t we renew our vows in Vegas?’ I said to him ‘Well, I’ll have to think about it.’ He asked ‘Why?’ and said ‘I’m not saying the word obey again’,” she laughs.

Just like this memory, many others come flooding back for Marian including how she met the love of her life, Bob, on October 8, 1955, at the age of 16.

“It was a public holiday and my girlfriend picked me up to go to the local shop for an ice cream. When we were there, a motorbike came up with two nice guys. My friend knew one of the guys, and I was introduced to his mate Bob. He then asked what we were doing on the weekend,” Marian says.

Marian and Robert were married at St Christopher’s Church of England, in Kilburn, on August 3, 1957, surrounded by family and friends. In the years that followed they welcomed four children – two girls and two boys – which has seen the family grow to include seven grandchildren and five greatgrandchildren.

The couple, who have lived at the ECH Winzor Retirement Village for the past three years, celebrated their 65-year marriage with a lunch at their daughter’s house.

And as they say, the rest is history.

The couple were engaged in 1956 – a leap year – a time when women can propose, so Marian grabbed the opportunity.

“It was New Year’s Eve, and we were walking back to my aunt’s house and I said to Robert, ‘it’s a leap year now, that means I can propose to you’. He had a few drinks, so he agreed,” Marian laughs.

“But then he asked me properly. When my dad came back from working in Woomera, Bob asked permission but because of my age, I had to wait until I was 21. My grandma said to my dad, ‘just let them get married when they want to’, and so we did.”

Robert, who plays pool twice a week, and Marian, who loves line dancing and bingo, enjoy keeping active. They also welcome the community feel of the village and being involved in the social group.

“We are always greeted with warmth in the hall. I’ve met some very nice people here at the village; that connection is so important,” Marian says.

What’s the secret to the longevity of their marriage? Tolerance, love, concern and care, Marian says.

“We’ve made it work so we must’ve done something right. You need to be there for each other, especially as you get older and there are health issues. You have your ups and down but you’re a team and need to support one another,” she says.