Elderly twin sisters still going strong!

Resident Marie Scholtz is part of a set of identical twins who recently turned 86 years old and they are both going strong.

Not only does she and her sister Bettie Sholtz look alike but they also sometimes dress the same and as luck would have it, they were married to brothers who have since passed on. Born and bred in Pretoria, the sisters are inseparable, to say the least.

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According to Marie, she is the older twin and was born 30 minutes before Bettie. They are two of six siblings and the only twins in their generation. Bettie’s great-grandsons are, however, a set of identical twins. While Marie stays at Friendship Haven for the Aged in West Porges, Bettie stays at an old age home in Pretoria, where she even has an extra bedroom, for when her sister visits. The two visit each other frequently and enjoy a glass of wine after 17:00, just to relax and unwind.

Upon the Herald’s visit to Friendship Haven, the twins weren’t instantly distinguishable, as they were dressed in beautiful red suits and have beautiful bright smiles.
They welcomed us into their space, where they sat down and spoke about their relationship and how blessed they are to still have each other.

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According to Marie, she and her sister have always been close throughout the years.

“We’ve always been so close even when growing up. We would wear the same clothes all the time back then and that changed as we grew up. We still however own a few identical items and If she goes shopping, she will sometimes buy me the same item as hers, and I would do the same as well. We also swap recipes and do things similar in our houses. We also love baking together and taking long walks just to keep fit,” said Marie.

She added that she and her sister went separate ways when they got married to brothers, but still maintained their close relationship.

“I cannot believe we are both alive. We feel so blessed and are the only ones remaining from our family in terms of our parents and siblings. We stick together and do things for each other. We are happy and healthy and only have illnesses that are associated with old age,” said Marie.

Meanwhile, Bettie is the twin with a few words and shared the same sentiments as her sister. The two are still fit and healthy and walk about without any form of assistance. They both enjoy cooking and baking and shared some of their treats with their neighbours.

They are also a hit at the local supermarkets and adored by locals, who often ask to take pictures of them whenever they are spotted together. In her spare time, Marie enjoys sitting and interacting with her neighbours even those that work at Friendship Haven, who has since become her second family.

She said she is well taken care of and cannot imagine being anywhere else.