FIFTY years after tying the knot with the love of her life Rob Thatcher, Colleen Thatcher can still slip into her wedding dress, and it fits perfectly.

During the interview with the Highway Mail last week Friday, the bubbly Colleen slipped into her wedding dress which she said she made herself using her mother’s Bernina sewing machine.

“I still have the shoes which I found last night and they are still in good condition,” said Colleen.

Also read: Pinehaven celebrates 70th anniversary

The two love birds, both born and bred in Durban, met at Edgewood College of Teacher Education in the ’70s.

“He was in his second year of studies and I was in my first year of training. I was only 17 turning 18 at the time, Rob was another year ahead of me. The ratio of women to men was at least 20:1, and although I had seen him around, I dated all his friends before he asked me out at the end of my first year of studies. We began dating afterwards – the rest is history.”

Colleen said what made her choose Rob was his courtesy and manners.

“The young man who used to sit in the foyer of the students’ union with his male peers passing comments as the young female students walked by was certainly a gentleman on our first date at the end of my first year.

“I couldn’t believe it. This Rob was such a polite man, and at the end of our first date, I told my older sister that I was going to marry this man,” she said.

On Saturday, September 25, 1976, once they had both graduated with their teaching diplomas, they tied the knot at the Presbyterian Church in Umbogintwini.

They moved to Sarnia in 1978 after having bought their first house, and are still living at the same address.

Rob and Colleen’s careers in education took off quickly, as did their studies, as they pursued their higher education degrees mainly with UNISA.

Climbing the ladder

Colleen said that buying their first home and having to stand on their feet after the glorious years of being students, matured them quickly and sharpened their vision as they set their sights on climbing the educational management ladder in public education.

The two have worked in a number of educational institutions in their careers. Rob is a former principal of Crawford International College in La Lucia, and was also principal of Kloof Senior Primary School (KSP). He was also Head of Department at Sarnia Primary School and the Deputy Head at ‘Toti Primary before becoming school principal at KSP, among other schools.

Also read: Pinehaven celebrates 70th anniversary

Colleen became a school principal in her late 20s and spent nine years as principal of Panda Pre-Primary School on the Bluff, before transferring to Hillcrest Pre-Primary for a number of years.

She then became a lecturer and Head of Department at Edgewood College where she had trained to become a teacher. She and Rob left public education soon after and became the founding principals of the Crawford School in La Lucia.

After heading up one of the largest schools in the Crawford Group, Colleen returned to higher education and, once again climbed the ladder of success in management as Dean of Education and Head of Department.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Highway Mail (@highwaymail)

The couple has officially retired, but Colleen continues to work with her former employee as a contract lecturer for teaching practice on campus and assessing student teachers in the Highway area. Rob holds the household together and manages the finances.

The couple love listening to music, watching TV and catching up on the political news and rugby. “We also enjoyed exercising at the gym but music is one thing that holds us together.”

The Thatchers both agree that good communication is essential in sharing home and workplace experiences that impact on our daily lives.

For more from the Highway Mail, follow us on Facebook , X and Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok.

Click to subscribe to our newsletter here