Leigh and Shirley Williamson are celebrating a milestone not many couples reach - 70 years of marriage.
The couple said the secret to their strong and lasting marriage was simple.
"You've got to give and take," Mrs Williamson said. "You also shouldn't let the sun go down on an argument. But I will never say we've never had a cross word because that would be a very dull life."
Mr Williamson, 90, and Mrs Williamson, 88, were only teenagers when they first met in Bendigo.
"We were only 14 or 15 years old," Mrs Williamson said. "We had piano lessons after one another and he would wait for me.
"We would then ride our bikes home together. He also used to pass notes to me at school."
The couple got married on May 4, 1949 at a small ceremony at the Presbyterian church in Forest Street, Bendigo.
Only a few family members attended the wedding but the two have gone from humble beginnings to create a large and loving family. They have four children, 11 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
"Our family is so important," Mrs Williamson said. "It's been such a great life."
The Williamson's have had a passion for travelling throughout their marriage and have gone on multiple trips around the world.
They also used to visit Queensland for six weeks every year to sail through the Whitsundays.
"That was wonderful," Mrs Williamson said. "We had friends who used to go with us and then they bought a big yacht so we sailed around Tasmania with them."
The Williamson's have also played a large role in the Bendigo community.
Mr Williamson, who worked as a developer for most of his life, has been a member of the Bendigo Rotary Club for decades and was president of the group in 1974-75.
His wife, who owned an antique shop in the city for more than ten years, has been a member of the Inner Wheel of Rotary for more than 40 years.
They have also been members of the Bendigo Golf Club and the Bendigo East Bowling Club. Mrs Williamson was also the club bowls champion of the Bendigo Golf and Bowling Club in 2001 and 2004.
Mr Williamson was also a keen sportsman. He was a founding member of the Scots Baseball Club and was a life member with his son Peter at the Bendigo United Cricket Club.
"Bendigo has been just a great place to live and a great place to raise a family," Mrs Williamson said.
The couple will be celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary with a small family dinner on Saturday. They will have a larger gathering at the Farmers Arms Hotel on May 11.
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Tara Cosoleto
Journalist covering courts and general news at the Bendigo Advertiser.
Journalist covering courts and general news at the Bendigo Advertiser.
