Couple reaches milestone anniversary
When Angelo Stanier first spotted Eileen from the window of his sister's home, in Wanderers View, in 1953, he was immediately taken by her beauty.
“I would peep out of the window to see this pretty girl walking to town,” said Angelo (80).
Eileen (80) adds that she would notice him and thought that he was ”trouble”, but it seems, after 60 years of blissful marriage, the trouble was worth it.
“Her house was near the telephone booth, so one day I wanted to make a call and made my way to the booth,” Angelo said.
”Who should walk out of the booth, but the pretty girl I had been watching for a while, so I took the opportunity and made my move.”
The couple was married in 1955, at St Augustine’s Anglican Church, in Johannesburg, and moved to Benoni in 1960, when Angelo got a job with the engineer’s office at the town’s municipality. “Angelo has been involved in civil engineering within construction, which has led to him travelling to various parts of the country, including spending time on the World Food Programme, in Mozambique,” added Eileen.
Eileen worked as a secretary in a financial institution in Johannesburg and retired in 1994, and then focused her time on charity work for various organisations in Benoni, including Hospice, the Salvation Army and the Methodist Church.
She is also a keen gardener and ensures her garden always looks like a floral paradise.
Her husband is the athlete, having been a member, administrator and chairman at both the Eastern Transvaal Squash Club and Benoni Country Club.
The couple, sadly, lost their firstborn son, Gregory, five years ago, when he was aged 55.
“It still hurts and we all miss him a lot as a family,” said Angelo.
The close knit family is made up of their other two children, Malcom (55) and Cheryl, who turns 50 this year, as well as six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
The latest additions are Xavier, who was born on April 14, and Khethiwe, who was adopted four months ago.
“Marriage has been a roller coaster and we’ve come to the conclusion that when you understand that it’s give and take, you will truly enjoy the happy moments,” said Angelo.
”Our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren have given us plenty of joy,” said Angelo.
Eileen added that what she loves about her husband is that she can always rely on him being there for her, and his sense of humour, has kept them laughing throughout the years.
“He said I’ll never leave him, because he’s set such a high standard for any other man and, of course, because of his good looks,” she laughed.
Angelo still sees her as the most beautiful woman ever, and loves the manner in which she has supported him over the years.
The couple credits mutual respect as an important quality to help any relationship last; they added that working together to make the partnership work, as well as supporting one another in all facets of life, give the relationship longevity.
“We are equally loving and strong for our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, which helps keep the family together,” concluded Angelo.
