Gardeners sparkle at 50th

WESTVILLE residents, Pauline and Roy Gardener, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Tuesday 10 September, despite encountering many difficulties.

The Gardeners met in 1962 on a ‘blind date’ at a fancy dress party in Ndola, Northern Rhodesia, while Roy was still enlisted in the army.

It would seem that they were destined to fall in love, as Pauline told the Highway Mail that she had seen Roy on one occasion before their blind date.

“When I saw him at the blind date I realised that I had seen him before at The Queen’s Birthday Parade in Ndola. He was carrying his battalion’s Regimental Colours in the parade.”

“I remember that I fancied him back then, and even ‘accidentally’ bumped into him to get a better look at him,” said Pauline.

A year after their blind date Pauline and Roy were married.

“It was not always easy. I was in the army and in and out of training camp, so I did not get to see Pauline very often,” said Roy.

“We also struggled financially, even when Roy was an officer,” admitted Pauline, who worked in the Human Resources industry.

After Roy retired from the army he was employed in the security industry, where he was obligated to travel to places such as Afghanistan.

“The travelling and being apart from one another was very disruptive. It especially prevented us from putting down roots and buying a house. Recently, we celebrated the move to our twenty-second home,” laughed Roy.

Another difficulty that the Gardeners faced was Pauline’s cancer diagnosis.

“I developed cancer a few years back, but I am currently in remission,” said Pauline.

Despite all the setbacks the Gardeners managed to raise three boys.They have also been blessed with four grandchildren.

“I believe it takes guts to stay married. It required discipline and compromise, and you need to be honest with one another, as well as your children,” said Roy.