Village residents renew vows after 53 years

A 76-year-old retirement village resident and his 81-year-old wife, have decided to renew their vows after 53 years together.

Peter and Veronica Harris married in the August of 1965, and renewed their vows with a special family ceremony held on the grounds of Peninsula Village at Umina.

The happy couple said the reasoning behind the renewal of their vows was as simple as love, and an eagerness to share this with fellow residents and family.

"We love each other and felt it was a good thing to do while our family and friends were all able to join us and share the occasion," explained Mr Harris.

"As long as we are together that is all that matters," said Mrs Harris.

After 53 years of marriage, a lot has changed for the couple, including the birth of two children, the arrival of four grandchildren and ample passport stamps collected from their travels abroad.

"We love to travel and this has been a huge part of our lives together having travelled to England, Singapore, New Zealand, Thailand as well as various spots across Australia," said Mr Harris

"Our secret to marriage isn't anything unique.

"We have lived a great life together but also remained strong and supportive of one another through the hard times," said Mrs Harris.

"I would say that we have lived by the common saying 'happy wife, happy life'," Mr Harris joked.

"We met at a party in Paddington back in 1963 and two years later we married.

"Peter became a teacher and then principal and I worked in various office roles before working in administration at a school in Sydney where I stayed until I retired," said Mrs Harris.

"While we spent most of our lives in Rosebery, we finally realised it was time that we needed to be supported with additional care and chose Peninsula Villages' Don Leggett House where we live together," she said.

The couple only became residents in May this year.

Peninsula Village chief Mr Shane Neaves said the couple was "one of many couples who reside at Peninsula Villages, where despite having their own rooms, live steps from one another under the same roof, sharing meals, laughs, regular activities and social excursions."

SOURCE:

Media release, 31 Aug 2018

Katey Small, Brilliant Logic