Ray and Gwenda Harrison have been working as a team for 65 years of marriage.
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The couple celebrated their anniversary on February 4 after marrying in Maryborough in 1956.
After meeting as 15-year-olds on the school bus near Ballarat, they began dating when they were 19 years old.
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"We met years ago on the school bus the first time, we lived out other side of Ballarat at Waubra and Lexton," Ray said. "In country areas like that ended up going to local dances, that was the social life every Saturday.
"We never started going out until we were 18 or 19. Again it was at a dance and asked to take her out after the dance and one thing led to another."
Gwenda said she was attracted to ray and his sense of humor.
"I must admit I was attracted to him," she said. "But I was going with someone else. My mother and father wanted to marry another man but I loved (Ray's) sense of humour."
The couple married in Maryborough where Gwenda's family was and even were able to have a film made of their day.
"My uncle was at the wedding and he owned a movie camera," Gwenda said. "In those days, it was a big deal."
The newlyweds moved around a lot through the years spending time in Rokewood, Werribee, Nambucca Heads and Geelong before moving to Bendigo to be closer to family.
"Ten years ago we went back to Geelong mainly because our family were back here," Ray said. "We thought if something happened, the other would be on their own.
"When Gwenda need care, we came up here because our daughter lives in Bendigo. Gwenda is in care and I have a unit (nearby) at Golden Rise Village, it worked out beautifully."
Ray said over the years, he and Gwenda have volunteered at many nursing homes.
"We have, Gwenda in particular, worked as volunteers around nursing homes for many years," he said. "It was so rewarding. So we know what we were coming into in Bendigo. Nursing homes, 90 per cent of them, are wonderful places."
Ray and Gwenda have a son and a daughter as well as six grandchildren and six, soon to be seven, great-grandchildren.
During their lives, Ray and Gwenda have built and lived in six different homes and sailed a lot together.
"We complement one another very well," Ray said. "We moved around a lot and physically built six homes together. It was something we had pleasure doing and we worked well together and had similar ideas.
"The home we had in Geelong was built for an elderly couple because of Gwneda's problems. It was set up for her health.
"We also did a lot of sailing, that's something we shared. We did a bit of racing and she was a very aggressive skipper."
Gwenda said communication between married couples was the secret to a long, happy marriage.
"There's been many highlights. One highlight was when we were sailing and I was the only crew," she said.
"But being able to listen one another and laugh a lot is the secret. You have to have a sense of humour and things in common. Our religious faith also makes a difference."
Ray said his secret to marriage was simple.
"Just say 'yes, dear'," he laughed.
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