Pinetown couple toast to 60 years of love

LIKE many beautiful love stories from the 1950s the Downie couple met through their love for dance at a dance hall in Scotland when they were teenagers and fell in love.

Rita and George, now 79 and 84, recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on Thursday, 10 October surrounded by 60 guests at the Sandown Village.

Also read: Diamond anniversary for Kloof couple | Highway Mail

“We were pleasantly surprised to see that many people wanted to celebrate our special day with us as we only moved to Pinetown from the Bluff three years ago,” said Rita.

The couple also received royal wishes from Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom congratulating them for reaching this diamond milestone.They had a traditional white wedding on an autumn day in 1959, a week before George celebrated his 24th birthday.

Also read: Hillcrest couple celebrate 65th anniversary | Highway Mail

The Downies moved to South Africa in 1963 and started a family, they have two children, Heather and Stuart and two grandchildren.With fulfilling careers the Downies retired in 1999 and 2000 and after their retirement they enjoyed going on holidays and playing bowls together. George describes his wife as a great leader and organiser while Rita describes George as very easy going.The couple said marriage is give and take.

“Consider each other’s feelings, every relationship has its ups and downs and you have to work through it. Remember to think before you put your foot forward,” they said.

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