Celebrating diamond wedding anniversary

Ken and Nellie Thexton of Booker Bay celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary on Monday, February 23.

The couple's daughter, Angela Glover, said that they had escaped death many times.

"It's a miracle that they ever got together in the first place," she said.

"Young Ken could not believe his luck when the beautiful blonde he had his eye on agreed to see him at the next dance.

"But Mr Hitler had other ideas," she said.

The very next day World War two broke out and for the next three weeks all centres of entertainment in the industrial city of Sheffield in Yorkshire were closed so that blackout curtains could be fitted.

"When the dance reopened Ken was delighted to find that a young Nellie Dodd had waited for him and they spent the next four years courting - often to the accompaniment of bombs.

"On December 13, 1941 they couldn't decide between a Tyron Power movie or Greta Garbo so they tossed a coin."

Tyron Power won - which was just as well because the other movie house took a direct hit and hundreds were killed.

On another occasion, they decided on a quiet picnic in the country at a nearby dam.

"Sipping on their Babycham, they watched fascinated as RAF bombers dropped strange bouncing balls into the water.

"It wasn't until after the war that they realised they had unwittingly trespassed into the Dam Busters' secret training ground," Ms Glover said.

In 1944, the couple married and settled into their first home - which had previously had its front blown in by a bomb.

Later on Mrs Thexton had another close encounter when she had to run for her life with her baby in her arms, chased by a V1 rocket - known to the locals as buzz bombs.

In 1957, Ken decided to bring his wife and two young children to Australia for a better life.

They sold the family home, only to find that the ship they were supposed to come on had been stopped by another war - this time in the Suez crisis.

When they finally set sail they ran into yet another conflict - a revolt in the port of Columbo with four murdered on the docks that morning.

They arrived just in time for Black Friday 1957 with the Illawarra, where they were to stay, all aflame.

"Undeterred, they found work and bought a house," Ms Glover said.

Mr Thexton worked for the local bus company and Mrs Thexton was forelady at Crystals Clothing factory.

In 1974, they moved to Booker Bay and built their house.

Ken Thexton became the transport co-ordinator for the geriatric daycare at the Area Health Services and his name appears on the honour board at Gosford Senior Citizens.

Nellie Thexton has recently undergone a knee replacement and cannot wait to get back to New Vogue dancing.

They celebrated 60 years of marriage in a surprise party for family and friends at the weekend.

Letter, February 18