Diamond anniversary: Westville couple’s love climbs high
Jack and Joan Johnson have been happily married for the past 60 years.
JACK and Joan Johnson will climb the mountain at the Sunnyside Guest Farm to celebrate their diamond anniversary.
The farm at the Golden Gate in the Free State owned by the Boland family is a special place for the Westville couple as they enjoyed their honeymoon at the guest house.
“The farm and the mountain have a special place in my heart as I climbed that little berg 70 years ago when I was 14 years old with friends. Ten years later, I climbed that mountain with my gorgeous wife,” said Jack.
The couple climbed the mountain again to commemorate their 25th wedding anniversary.
“We again climbed that little berg on our 50th wedding anniversary,” said Jack.
Joan who won the Wimbledon Junior title, Junior French title and South African title when she was 18, met Jack and his friend at the tennis club.
They were married a day after Joan’s 21st birthday in Johannesburg on March 10, 1962.
They moved to Moseley Park in 1967 where Joan was a tennis coach and Jack a photo lithographer. He later opened his own silkscreen printing business in Westville.
Now retired, the Johnsons have settled at beautiful Dawncliffe Park Retirement Village.
Both Joan and Jack have been avid sports people. They have also competed in the Comrades Marathon.
When asked about this milestone, Joan beamed and said, “it has been a
mazing, it still feels unbelievable, we feel very blessed and truly grateful,” she said.
Jack added that they were committed to their wedding vows. “As every married couple, we have had our ups and downs and we managed to get through them, I can say we have had a pleasant life. I married a beautiful woman who gave me beautiful children,” said a content Jack.
The loving couple said they were honoured to get a chance to be featured in the Highway Mail again as they had were privileged to have their golden anniversary published in the paper 10 years ago.
They have two children and four grandchildren.
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