Sapphire years for couple

“We met at a soccer match back in 1950,” said Marie Goutier.

Marie (82) and her husband, Carel (86), will be celebrating their 65th wedding anniversary on August 18 (Thursday).

“I had gone to watch a soccer match with my father when I first met Carel,” said Marie.

“Carel was a soccer player in his days and my father knew most of the players in his team.

“Later that day my father invited Carel over to our house for drinks, because he was a good soccer player.

“After that day, he (Carel) asked me out to go to the movies and then we started dating.”

“We got married the following year, on August 18, 1951, at the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court,” explained Marie.

“A year later our first child, Mary-Anne Felcia, was born and, three years later, we had our second daughter, Jeanne Peters, who was followed by our son, Frank Goutier, five years later.

“We have nine grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.”

Carel said Marie still has a good memory at her age.

“She knows and remembers all our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren’s birthdays,” he added.

“She remembers all of our birthdays.”

The couple’s three children organised a surprise for their 50th anniversary.

“On their 50th anniversary, in 2001, the family got together and my grandparents had a proper wedding, even though they had no idea about the wedding prior to the day, as it was a surprise,” said their eldest grandchild, Tracy Enslin.

“Even when they arrived at the venue they just couldn’t understand why they were at a church.”

“We had the shock of our lives, but it was absolutely beautiful,” said Marie.

“There wasn’t a dry eye in the church on that day, everybody sat there in tears.”

Asked about the secret to a long-lasting and happy marriage, Marie said: “Giving your husband space to do what he wants.

“I never stopped him from doing any sports and anything he wanted to do.

“If the girls want to take me out sometimes, he doesn’t mind and says that I should go and have a good time; we give each other space.”

“My grandfather is a very sociable and out-going person and still, to this day, he likes to go to the bowling club in Bedfordview and also to have a few drinks with his friends,” explained Enslin.

“My grandmother is more of the homey type of person, she likes to read, knit and cook, among other things.”

Marie also said they take care of each other and have grown close to each other over the years.

“When you grow older you grow closer together,” she said.

“Sometimes you know exactly what the other is going to say, like I would be thinking that I feel like having a sweet and he would just get up and ask if I want a sweet.

“You grow towards one another.”

Carel told the GCN that they resolve fights by talking.

“In the beginning, when we would have arguments, Marie would go for days without talking to me, but I spoke to her and suggested that we talk about the problem and move on,” he said.

“Now when we have fights we talk about it, get it out the way and it is over.

“Minutes later you hear us calling each other ‘darling’ with no hard feelings.”

The couple both agreed that the secret to feeling and looking young is to keep active.