A couple from Selection Park recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. The event was honoured on Sunday with a celebratory lunch where their family could share in the joy.
Stuart McStay (81) and his beloved Marie (83), married on May 9, 1964, in the Dutch Reformed Church in Strubenvale. Stuart, stately in his black suit, and Marie, gentle in her long white dress and flower headband.
It was love at first sight back in 1963 when Stuart didn’t hesitate to ask Marie on a date when he saw her for the first time and, as they say, the rest is history.
Although they both lived in Kitwe, Zambia, they decided to get married in South Africa to accommodate their loved ones.
After four years of marriage, Stuart and Marie returned to South Africa along with their daughters, Brenda and Sharon.
Until recently the McStay family lived in their own home in Selection Park and this couple now has two grandchildren as well.
Stuart likes to make jokes and always says that the recipe for a successful marriage is, a ‘happy wife, happy life’.
But in reality, they have always supported each other and consulted one another on important decisions.
The happy couple rarely call each other by name. They prefer the nicknames they have – darling and sweetheart.
On their 40th wedding anniversary, they renewed their vows in the same church in which they were married and held a small reception afterwards to celebrate with family and friends.
After five decades of being married, the McStays once again renewed their vows in honour of their everlasting love.
But this year, for their 60th anniversary they decided to celebrate more intimately with a celebratory lunch with close friends and family.
In honouring their parents, Brenda and Sharon contacted the Springs Advertiser to surprise them with an article as a tribute to them and their eternal commitment to each other.
“As a family, we are very proud of your lifetime commitment to each other and we pray you are both spared for many more happy and healthy years together. We all love you very much,” they said.
