Doing things together and never going to bed angry have kept this Primrose couple\u2019s marriage going for the past 50 years.<\/p>\n
Susan and Douw O\u2019Kelly celebrated their golden wedding anniversary on October 29 (today, Saturday) and are still as much in love now as they were when they married.<\/p>
Susan was born and bred in Germiston, living in and attending school in Primrose.<\/p>\n
Douw was born in Potchefstroom but his family moved to Germiston central when he was four years old and then later when he was 11 to Primrose Hill.<\/p>
Although both attended Ho\u00ebrskool Vryburger they never met while at school.<\/p>\n
\u201cI knew his brother Jan and sister Martha, as she was in the same standard as me, but the two of us never met,\u201d said Susan.<\/p>\n
The couple finally did meet however, in the street.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe was supposed to be my blind date one evening and my friends and I drove past her as she was cycling in Main Road on her way to Edenvale,\u201d said Douw.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy friends pointed her out and told me there goes my date for the evening so I stopped the car and got out to talk to her and officially asked her out.\u201d<\/p>\n
Susan told the GCN she was not impressed at first.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought he was ugly.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe had no hair and I told him he would have to ask my dad, Danie if he could take me out,\u201d she laughed.<\/p>\n
Douw chipped in saying he had no hair because he had lost a rugby bet.<\/p>\n
\u201cI told my father to say no when Douw asked for permission to take me out, but my dad said yes,\u201d Susan said.<\/p>\n
So the couple went to the drive-in and have been together ever since.<\/p>\n
At that point Susan was 17 years old and Douw was 20.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was an apprentice electrician and money was very shy,\u201d Douw said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut as soon as I passed my trade test and got my electrician\u2019s licence I popped the question.\u201d<\/p>\n
The couple got engaged in May on Douw\u2019s 21st birthday and married in the Ou Apostel Kerk Homestead that October (October 29, 1966).<\/p>\n
\u201cThe then Germiston Advocate took our wedding photos and did our wedding album for a very reasonable R30,\u201d said Susan.<\/p>\n
The couple settled in Primrose and have lived in the area ever since. They have been living in their current house for 34 years.<\/p>\n
Douw first worked with the railways and then was employed by Eskom until his retirement, while Susan did office work at the Post Office exchange, Standard Bank and then D&O until her retirement.<\/p>\n
They have three children, Alta Hitchcock (48) who is married to Charles; Makie van der Walt (46) who is married to Johan; and Jaco (43) who is married to Kaydin.<\/p>\n
They have also been blessed with four grandchildren, Douwl\u00e9ne (16) and Johan\u00e9 (12) van der Walt and Michael Hitchcock (21) and Shaun O\u2019Kelly (15 months).<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are proud of our children and grandchildren,\u201d Douw said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI must admit I really enjoy my children and love spending time with them.\u201d<\/p>\n
In their younger years Susan and Douw enjoyed fishing together and have many trophies which stand testament to their skill.<\/p>\n
\u201cNowadays though we feel too old for this,\u201d Douw said.<\/p>\n
He now enjoys gardening and working in the garage while Susan enjoys knitting, baking, cooking and reading.<\/p>\n
\u201cActually I enjoy everything I do,\u201d Susan said.<\/p>\n
They also enjoy travelling and have seen many places in South Africa.<\/p>\n
The couple believes that a marriage will work if you work out problems speedily.<\/p>\n
\u201cA relationship should be more give than take,\u201d said Susan.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou should discuss things with each other and both be prepared to change your minds,\u201d said Douw.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Other articles you may be interested in:<\/p>\n
Sapphire years for couple<\/a><\/p>\n Childhood sweethearts celebrate emerald anniversary<\/a><\/p>\n