Couple’s love is diamond strong

LOVING Hillcrest couple, Ivan and Carol Howell, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on Thursday, 7 July.

It was through Ivan’s badminton buddy, Shirley Boyce, that he met Carol. “I went to Shirley’s work one day and that is where I saw her,” he said.

With a pair of tickets to the ball at the City Hall, the then 25-year-old Ivan plucked up the courage and asked Shirley whether she thought Carol would be interested in joining him. The message was relayed. “I didn’t even remember seeing him. For me it was a blind date, but he already knew who I was,” laughed Carol.

With a shared passion for dancing, the couple hit it off straight away. “I picked her up that evening and saw how beautiful she was. She danced beautifully. We enjoyed each other’s company and we have been dancing ever since,” said a smiling Ivan.

A year later he popped the question and they were married at St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church on 7 July, 1956. They spent one evening at the Hilton Hotel in Nottingham Road and then explored the Royal National Park together for a week.

Ivan started an industrial and engineering supply company, where he worked for 34 years before retiring at 57 years old. Carol worked as a secretary up until she had their first child and then later opened up a créche.

Initially from the UK, Carol came down to South Africa when she was 23 on holiday but had to get a job to save up enough money to fly back home. “I never did fly back home because I met my husband-to-be,” said Carol.

With a joint love for walking and hiking, the couple thoroughly enjoyed their trips to Switzerland and were so enamoured by its beauty and took their family there on vacation too. “It’s the type of place where you can go up one side and on the other side there is something else that catches you attention,” said Ivan.

Besides walking and hiking, Ivan was in the Silverton, Hillcrest and Westville bowling clubs for a combined total of 50 years. Carol enjoyed her gardening and is an avid reader.

“A few of the points we believe have made us what we are today are compatibility, a caring attitude, a good sense of humour, understanding with each other’s needs and wants, not taking each other for granted, confiding in each other at all times, hugs and kisses at all times and communication, and it is very important to understand each other’s ways,” said Ivan. “This is the first 60 years we have loved each other and now we are going to aim for the next 60 years.”

About his wife, Ivan offered up his praises and described her as gorgeous. “He has to live with me, so take that with a pinch of salt,” said a chuckling Carol. He also said that he would never change her for nothing, which he said his wife would always respond to with, “Yes, but you would be willing to change me for something.”

“He is my rock and is always supportive and loving and the best way I can describe us is the saying, ‘Every love story is beautiful, but ours is my favourite’,” said Carol.

To mark the milestone in their marriage, the couple will celebrate with their family at the Oyster Box Hotel.