Westville lovebirds celebrate 65 years
The couple dated for 18 months before they tied the knot at the Redhill Presbeterian Church in 1951.
A WESTVILLE couple, Leon and Vienna van der Walt, who celebrated their 65th anniversary on Thursday, 10 March, knew from the first day they met that they were destined to be soulmates.
The two met at a tennis club Umbilo where Leon asked Vienna to play badminton with him. The couple said from then they went to the YMCA every Saturday to dance and play badminton.
Leon said it was Vienna’s beautiful auburn hair which just shone when she entered a room that attracted him to her, while Vienna was taken by Leon’s gentleness and kindness.
“He is a very easy-going person and does not grumble,” she said.
The couple dated for 18 months before they tied the knot at the Redhill Presbeterian Church in 1951. Leon was 22 and Vienna was 17.
Leon worked at the Durban Post Office for 44 years and Vienna did admin work for various companies.
They have four children – the eldest is 61, with 10 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren between them.
Leon and Vienna said although they have their differences and arguments from time to time, they never go to bed without talking them through and finding a solution.
“We love the same things, in our youthful days we used to play tennis, which we both enjoyed. We are always together – we go to the shops together and we love travelling as some of our children and grandchildren are all over the world and we visit them often.”
The two are also best friends and believe that it is truly a blessing that they have lived to celebrate their 65th anniversary together. They spent their day with the family and had dinner together.
