SUPPORT and loyalty are just a few key tips to a long, healthy marriage, according to Berri man, Norm Simon, who recently celebrated a marital milestone with his wife, Maureen.
Mr and Mrs Simon celebrated 70 years of marriage on Sunday, July 12, with family and friends.
The couple met in Lameroo in the late ’40s where Mrs Simon was living with her parents.
“My friend invited me to go for a ride with him on his motorbike and from there we would meet some girls,” he said.
“It was there when I met Maureen and from the moment I saw her, I was in love.
“She was about 16 and I was about 19 and we hit it off.”
Mr Simon said the couple were together a couple of years before they got married.
“We had been together for about two years or so before we tied the knot,” he said.
“We didn’t have an actual wedding, we just went to the Murray Bridge registry office because Maureen was pregnant with our first child at the time.
“We travelled around a bit before we eventually settled in the Riverland.
“My father has moved to the Riverland to work on blocks and Maureen and I used to bring the kids up for holidays.
“After we had a sniff of the Riverland, we were sold and settled in Barmera.”
The couple had four children and have since watched their family grow.
“We had our first child while we were living in Peterborough, the next two while we were in Gawler and our fourth in Barmera,” he said.
“Our children have given us 12 grandchildren – 10 girls and a set of twin boys – and we are grateful for all the memories shared.”
Mr Simon said although the couple didn’t have an official wedding ceremony, they made up for it.
“Maureen didn’t get to wear a wedding dress and we didn’t get to say our vows but it was okay because we had each other,” he said.
“Maureen loved dancing and we’d go dancing together at balls all the time.
“We didn’t need an official ceremony to say vows because we made vows to each other every day.
“We travelled across the country together and celebrated milestones with our four children and for us, that was all we needed.”
Mr Simon described Mrs Simon as “one in a million”.
“Maureen is everything I could’ve wished for in a woman,” he said.
“She’s always been supportive and loyal, she’s a great cook and a great mother.
“She’s a lovely wife in more ways than one and I love her.”