It was a bitter-sweet 60th wedding anniversary for Northmead couple William and Glennis Nel.
William ‘Billy’ (82) and Glennis ‘Gran’ (78) celebrated their anniversary on April 12, but they did not have the big party they envisioned because Glennis is recovering from a stroke.
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Glennis suffered from a stroke recently and has to move to The Old People’s Home for the next few months because she requires intensive care that the family is not trained to provide.
As a result, the couple celebrated their anniversary at the home with cupcakes and banana bread.
Although the couple has to be separated for a while, the love does not deteriorate between the two.
“I met her when she was 14 years old,” said William.
“I was in a motorbike ‘gang’ and I was driving past the swimming pool in Benoni town when I saw her.
“I took one look at her and thought: ‘What a beaut’.”
William said Glennis was walking in the opposite direction, so he made a U-turn to speak to her.
“We became friends and I started to visit her often, which her mother did not like because I rode a motorbike,” he said jokingly.
When Glennis was old enough for marriage, William did not pass up the opportunity to make her his ‘beaut’ bride.
The couple married and lived in Benoni CBD until they had their first daughter, Cheryl, who due to birth complications, died after a day.
“We then had our second daughter, [Karen Heath] and moved to Durban for a year,” William said.
But Benoni remained the lovebirds’ home, so they returned and after house hunting, settled in Northmead, where they still live years later.
Together, the couple has four children, Heath, Vanessa Nel, Lou-Ann Fourie and Keith Nel; seven grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren, with another great-grandchild on the way.
William was a boilermaker and Glennis became the home-maker while briefly working for Tab.
William speaks fondly of his wife who he said he loves so much because she has the biggest heart.
His grandchildren describe their gran as a woman who is welcoming to all, whether it is to give those in need food or clothes.
“She is also very religious. She is a member of the Northfield Methodist Church,” William said.
Although Glennis could not meet with the City Times, her grandchildren said she describes her husband as a gentleman who was always hard-working and treats her with respect.
“Love kept our marriage together,” William said.
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