“I don’t know how to describe it; somehow you know it, and when you know it, well, you know it.”
That is how 85-year-old Reg Ansell feels about the love he has for his wife, Amy (75).
The couple celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on April 24.
They married less than a year after meeting in Rhodesia (present day Zimbabwe) in 1964.
The long-time Western Extension residents met while both belonging to the MacDonald Club for singles.
“You were a barman that day and I went for my cold drink,” said Amy in a burst of laughter.
“I had been playing some hefty tennis and I was dying of thirst.
“I went in for a lime juice and lemonade; that’s right, that’s where we met.”
Reg explained that the club’s male members were expected to complete one week’s duty behind the bar counter as part of their duties.
He doesn’t regret having the barman duty.
“As far as I’m concerned, it was the best week,” he said.
The pair did not let the grass grow under their feet.
Reg asked his wife-to-be on a date to the “bioscope” on the day he first cast eyes on her.
They went on dates every night, for three weeks, after which Reg popped the big question, much to Amy’s surprise.
“I was a little taken aback, but I decided yes, we were best friends, let’s go ahead,” she said.
Amy conceded that she preferred taller men, but just “clicked” with Reg.
The couple decided not to have a family and enjoyed a life of travel and photography – their biggest hobbies.
They are both members of the Benoni Camera Club and the Photographic Society of South Africa.
Their hobby has seen them travel the globe, including Europe and North America.
Reg also collects ornamental lions, while Amy collects teddy bears.
They are still happily married and attribute a lot of their success to sharing the same interests.
“You marry your best friend,” said Amy.
“You share things together, you do everything together.
“We both had cancer and we both got through it; we support each other through everything.”
Amy was diagnosed with breast cancer 20 years ago and Reg had prostate cancer last year.
The couple said people should think twice before considering divorce.
“You’re obviously going to have differences in opinion – talk it out, don’t say: ‘I’m going to bugger off and get a divorce’,” said Reg.
Amy said you should marry for the right reasons, preferably your best friend.
“Sex is fun, but it’s only a part of it,” she said.
“So many men think sex is the all; sex is only half an hour, you have 23.5 hours to live with the person a day.”
