Sixty years of wonderful memories are what Marlands couple Edwin (83) and Joyce (81) van Niekerk celebrated on Thursday.<\/p>\n
The couple who married on Saturday, November 5, 1955, shared some of their memories from the past 60 years with the GCN, among calls from well wishers.<\/p>
\u201cWe met in 1950 at the Malvern Methodist Church.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy cousin had a crush on Joyce, he lost out,\u201d Edwin said with a laugh.<\/p>
\u201cWe met just after my 16th birthday, but only married after my 21st birthday because my father said you had to be 21 to get married,\u201d Joyce remembered.<\/p>\n
The couple moved briefly to the Southern Suburbs but put down roots in Germiston in 1966 moving to Marlands where they still live today.<\/p>\n
They have two sons Alan and David van Niekerk.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have 11 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren,\u201d explained Joyce.<\/p>\n
In the 1970s with the support of Joyce, Edwin started and managed a soccer club in Primrose.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were called the Primrose Spurs and we started to keep the youth of the community out of trouble and to get them involved in sport,\u201d Edwin said.<\/p>\n
The club were winners in the local 1973 league.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe later moved the club to Hattingh Park, which was later taken over by Luso Africa.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am very proud of Luso for keeping soccer alive in Primrose, and wish the club all the best for the future,\u201d Edwin said.<\/p>\n
Edwin no longer plays soccer, and instead entertains the elderly of the East Rand with his singing talent.<\/p>\n
\u201cA friend and I do performances in Germiston, Boksburg and Benoni.<\/p>\n
\u201cSinging only the golden oldies,\u201d said Edwin.<\/p>\n
Joyce is a proud member of the The Memorable Order of Tin Hats Women’s Auxiliary (MOTHWA).<\/p>\n
She started work with the organisation in 1960.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love the elderly.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe both do what we can to support and care for them,\u201d said Joyce.<\/p>\n
Joyce still attends MOTHWA meetings every month and helps out at events.<\/p>\n
The couple who are still very happily married offer some advice to younger couples, \u201cBe sure you are happy with your chosen partner,\u201d said Edwin.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou make a promise with your wedding vows and that promise needs to be kept.<\/p>\n
\u201cSure you are gonna have your ups and downs but you need to work through it and support each other.<\/p>\n
\u201cA relationship is give, take and a lot of understanding and support,\u201d said Joyce.<\/p>\n
\u201cI still love Edwin very much.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJoyce is still my everything,\u201d Edwin said.<\/p>\n
The couple celebrated their anniversary with a family dinner.<\/p>\n
Other anniversary articles:<\/strong><\/p>\n 60 wonderful years<\/a><\/p>\n