Couple’s love gleams golden

LOVING Waterfall couple, Charles and Maria Paice, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on 18 April.

They first met at a football dance in Ndola in Zambia in 1961, just before Maria’s 17th birthday. They got engaged in 1963 and were married a year later at the St Andrew’s United Church, in Ndola, by Rev Stevens on 18 April.

“It feels like we only got married yesterday and we have been inseparable ever since,” said Maria.

The couple said that even though they hired a wedding photographer, none of his pictures could be used. “Luckily for us Rev Stevens took four photos of the day and they came out beautifully. Charles’s sister, Merle, took a cine of the wedding as well,” said Maria.

For their honeymoon they visited Durban for four weeks and stayed at the Rydal Mount Hotel. “We then returned to Ndola, packed up our belongings and decided that Durban was where we wanted to live,” said Charles. They travelled to Durban in their Volkswagen Beetle, and as Charles was a qualified auto-electrician, he was employed almost as soon as they arrived at the beach city. Maria was transferred to the Standard Bank in Durban and soon left the company when their first child came along. The couple have three children, Charmaine, Harold and Serena and are the proud grandparents of six grandchildren.

Charles jokingly said the reason their marriage had been so successful was because Maria allowed him the freedom to play sports whenever he pleased.

“I was first attracted to her all those years ago and I have been attracted to her ever since. The attraction has just grown stronger over the last 50 years,” said Charles.

Maria said her husband always put her first and every day reminds her how much he truly cherishes her.

To celebrate their anniversary, the couple had an intimate dinner with family and friends.