Ray and Marj dance their way into 77 years of married life

After 77 years of marriage, ECH Torrens Court residents Ray and Marj have not lost their rhythm.

The active couple, who recently reached the milestone anniversary, took up ballroom dancing when Ray retired, as a way of spending more time with one another.

Close to 40 years on, they still love to put their dancing shoes on.

“Ray retired at 60 and he said ‘we have to do everything together’ so we tried golf but that was a ‘no no’ for me. So, we picked dancing – I danced when I was 14, and Ray was in a band, so he had rhythm,” Marj says.

It has been a hobby that has seen them travel the country in a caravan, stopping to dance at RSL and Senior Citizens Clubs along the way.

The couple also taught dancing for 15 years and used to tear up the dancefloor five times a week; they now dance every Tuesday and Saturday night and have no intention of slowing down. Their favourites are the Waltz, American dances and the Fox Trot.

“We’re still keen, we enjoy it and have lots of fun. We hope we can continue for a few more years, until Ray stops driving. You’ve got to keep healthy,” Marj says.

Music has been a shared love for the couple since they met when Ray was 17 and Marj, 16.

“He made the first move by asking me to go out with him to his band practice on a Sunday. From then on, we became an item,” Marj recalls.

The couple were engaged in 1944, when Ray was on leave from active service during World War II, and were wed on February 9, 1946, surrounded by family and friends. They went on to have five children and countless grandchildren and great-grandchildren - too many to keep count.

What’s the secret to their long marriage? Marj says: “Talking to each other. Never going to bed angry with one another.”

Have you got a hobby you would like to share? Tell as keepconnected@ech.asn.au