The Marlands couple married in the NG Kerk Middleton on June 3, 1967 after courting from 1965.<\/p>\n
Their courtship started as a result of their attending the same party.<\/p>
Monika said that she had gone to visit her friend Ellie van der Nest one evening, not realising that it was Ellie\u2019s 21st birthday party.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wanted to leave but Ellie wouldn\u2019t hear of it so I was hiding behind the kitchen door, as I was not dressed for a party, when Hennie walked in.<\/p>\n
\u201cI couldn\u2019t believe it as we had played together when we were small children in Germiston and had then lost touch after my family moved to Pretoria.\u201d<\/p>\n
That evening (July 22) the friendship was rekindled and Hennie asked her out for their first date on August 5. \u201cWe went to the roadhouse for coffee, if I remember correctly,\u201d Hennie said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the time Monika was studying to become a nurse and midwife at the Germiston Nursing Home but once she finished her studies she returned home to her parents in Pretoria.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would travel through every second day to visit her.\u201d<\/p>\n
Love bloomed and the couple married. They set up home and had four children, Johannes, Samuel, Elize Engelbrecht and Susara Beeslaar.<\/p>\n
Today they also boast five grandchildren.<\/p>\n Monika worked as a nurse at the old Roseacres Clinic, on night duty, for 30 years and retired in 2003 after the hospital moved to its new premises.<\/p>\n Hennie worked as a gas plant operative for seven years and then had his own business (doing carpeting and decorating).<\/p>\n He also retired in 2003.<\/p>\n \u201cI worked all over doing contracts, even in the Union Buildings,\u201d said Hennie.<\/p>\n The couple first lived in Edenvale, then in Kempton Park, before moving to Fishers\u2019 Hill, (where they stayed for 49 years), and then to Marlands three years ago. A<\/p>\n lthough they always view their honeymoon to Sabie and Port Elizabeth as a highlight of their years together, they had an epic trip on the Blue Train in 2010 which both describe as a once-in-a-lifetime experience.<\/p>\n \u201cHennie took R100 and bought raffle tickets where the trip was the grand prize,\u201d Monika said.<\/p>\n \u201cI was so angry with him, as at that time we really didn\u2019t have any extra money; but about two weeks later we received a call saying that we had won.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt was all-expenses-paid and we travelled on the Blue Train, then to Port Elizabeth, then to Durban, then Nelspruit and finally home,\u201d Hennie said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was the first time Monika had ever flown as well; and it was so funny, when we were flying from Durban to Nelspruit, we hit turbulence and poor Monika nearly got thrown right out of her seat.<\/p>\n \u201cShe got such a fright.<\/p>\n \u201cThe trip was definitely the biggest thing ever to happen to us.\u201d<\/p>\n Hennie also joked with the GCN about the fact that he is not bald yet.<\/p>\n \u201cDo you want to know why?\u201d he asked the GCN.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, my father always used to say that the man is the head of the house and the woman is the neck and it\u2019s the neck that turns the head.<\/p>\n \u201cI was lucky that Monika was quite still so there wasn\u2019t much rubbing, allowing me to keep my hair,\u201d he laughed.<\/p>\n The couple added that the secret to a successful marriage is communication.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t go to bed with an angry face. Have some coffee and a cookie and talk about things,\u201d said Hennie.<\/p>\n \u201cYou must talk things out and help each other,\u201d said Monika.<\/p>\n The couple celebrated their special anniversary with a surprise braai organised by their family. \u00a0<\/p>\n Other articles you may be interested in:<\/p>\n Couple renews vows at 50th anniversary<\/a><\/p>\n Childhood sweethearts celebrate emerald anniversary<\/a> \u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Have a story?<\/strong><\/p>\n Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor)\u00a0<\/span>germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za<\/a><\/strong>, Leigh Hodgson (journalist)\u00a0<\/span>leighh@caxton.co.za<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>or Puleng Sekabate\u00a0<\/span>pulengs@caxton.co.za<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n Remember to visit the Germiston City News on the following social media platforms:<\/p>\n Facebook<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Twitter<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Instagram<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n YouTube\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Or add the GCN on\u00a0<\/b><\/span>WhatsApp 079 406 1181<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>or\u00a0BBM (BBM Pin: 7F102137)<\/strong>\u00a0<\/b><\/span>today, to get all the latest news.<\/p>\n Catch-up on more local news with our sister newspapers\u00a0<\/span>Bedfordview Edenvale News<\/a><\/strong>,\u00a0<\/span>Alberton Record<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>Kempton Express<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2017\/06\/23GCNGENERALWEDD_61193-520x390.jpg\")