Couples celebrate diamond weddings

Three couples on the Peninsula are celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary during the months of February and March.

Umina Beach couple, George and Joan Williamson will celebrate their 60th anniversary with a cruise to Tasmania and a family celebration at Umina Beach.

"Being part of the Umina Beach community for over 20 years, they have many friends on the Peninsula who would be delighted to share in their 60th wedding celebration announcements," daughter Michele Streight said.

The couple married on March 18, 1944, in Cronulla, Sydney.

George and Joan moved to Gunnedah in 1946 to manage the Gunnedah newsagency.

After 18 years, they sold the newsagency to the Sutter family and in 1963 they purchased "Greenwood Grange" on the Boggabri Rd where they lived until 1983.

During their 37 years in Gunnedah, they raised their five children and were very involved with the local community.

George being a returned Second World War soldier supported ANZAC day marches and legacy.

Joan and George attended Christ Church of England and were very involved in local community.

Joan continues to enjoy her painting which began with art lessons on the banks of the Namoi River.

In 1983 they sold Greenwood Grange and moved to Umina Beach to enjoy their retirement years, where they are involved with the local community and Anglican Church.

They are parents of five children: Susan Williamson-Fritz, Pam Boyd, Judy Baldwin, Michele Streight and Graham Williamson.

George and Joan are proud grand-parents to 15 grand children and great-grand parents to four great-grand children.

Woy Woy couple Jean and Ronald Todd were married on March 25, 1944, at Hindmarsh Methodist Church in Adelaide.

They have lived in Woy Woy for nearly 20 years.

Jean was 27 when she married 24-yeare-old Ronald.

Jean was in Adelaide during the War, working at a munitions factory.

She met Ron when he came home on a fortnight's leave from the Middle East

"I think they were going to get married from their first date," said daughter Heather.

Within a fortnight, Ron had asked Jean to marry him.

They have three children, Heather, Malcolm and Graham, eight grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

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 have escaped death many times.

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

"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 the Second World War 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 Tyrone Power movie or Greta Garbo so they tossed a coin.

Tyrone 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 and sold the family home - only to find that the ship they were supposed to come on had been stopped by another war - this time 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 ablaze. "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.

Letters, February 18