THE place was Durban Central, the time was 1970, when Marie Pillay first laid eyes on his future wife, Lynette. After he approached her, Lynette took a keen interest in Marie, and soon afterwards, they began spending time together and eventually started dating.

Two years later, on September 21, 1972, they were pronounced husband and wife. The two went on to have three children, one son followed by two daughters, and now, their children are older than they were when they met for the first time. They also have four grandchildren. Marie and Lynette Pillay celebrated their half a century of marriage this September.

The pair had a big celebration with family and friends on Saturday, September 17, in the lead-up to their anniversary the following Wednesday. Marie says that Lynette has always been a kind-hearted person. “Lynette is the most caring person I have ever known. She is so loving, and she played a huge role in raising our children and making sure they had everything they needed growing up.” Lynette says that Marie was a stay-at-home Dad and held down the fort while she worked.

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“He would be on top of everything; he really cared for the kids when they were young and always found ways to make my life easier. He was an excellent caretaker and home-maker.” A few years ago, Marie suffered a stroke, and Lynette left work to be there for her husband. “Now, I get to take care of him!” said Lynette. Seventy-year-old Marie met Lynette when he was 20 and she was 18.

He says that although they loved each other, it wasn’t always easy to be in love in the time that they fell for each other. ”There was a time back in the days where people of two different races were targeted for being together. So when I was walking with Lynette, the woman I love, in the city where we lived, it could be dangerous for us to be together. But we didn’t care about the criticism; we fought through it.” The couple have now settled in Glenwood and live with their oldest daughter, which allows them to spend time with their grandchildren. The couple have two sets of advice for young people hoping to go the distance.

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Marie says, “Young couples must understand that marriage is a challenge. There is no way around it – it is challenging. But, if you can come together and face the challenge of marriage and any other challenges that come your way – as a team and a united front – then you will be just fi ne.” Lynette says that she took her vows seriously when she said them. “I could never get my vows out of my head whenever we came across a challenge or a hurdle, and I really meant them when I said them. “So I will be by his side till death do us part and in sickness or in health.”