TOLERANCE and forgiveness is the secret to Westville resident’s Bob and Patricia Gilllett’s 68 years of marriage.
Bob said he first saw Patricia when she was just 16 years old. He watched her walk her pet Comber Spaniel down High Street, Lewes, Sussex and knew then that she was the girl for him.
They lived a kilometre from each other. When Patricia joined the British Post Office, where Bob worked as a higher executive, they began courting. Just after they were engaged, Bob was called to serve in the Second World War. He fought in the war for three and a half years and during those years kept in contact with his beloved through letters. When he returned home, the two tied the knot at the All Saints Church in Lewes on 8 December 1945, but six weeks later he was posted to Italy for a year. While he was serving his country, Patricia joined the Sussex Auxiliary Police Force, in the aliens department.
After the war, Bob returned home in July 1946, and four years later he and Patricia had their first and only son, Graham. Bob continued his work at the British post office until he retired in August 1981, and Patricia joined the Red Cross in 1947 for six years. She then joined the hospital service reserve.
When their son was older, he moved to Swaziland. Patricia and Bob visited quite often and eventually decided to move to South Africa to be nearer to their son. They bought a house in Illovo Glen in Warner Beach in 1984 and lived there until 2004. They then moved to Westville in November 2005 and have lived there since.
Bob recalled receiving a special greeting card from the Queen of England congratulating them on reaching their 60th wedding anniversary – which was a proud moment for the couple.
Bob said when you love someone the feeling sticks. He described his wife as a caring girl, always having empathy for others. Patricia smiled and said her husband is the real caring one who tells her he loves her every day.
Their advice to other couples is to work at your relationships.
“The world is falling apart because family life is failing. We see so many single parents, divorces and so on. Marriage is about commitment and something you have to work on everyday,” said Bob.
The couple plan to celebrate their 68th wedding anniversary with family at a special buffet luncheon at the Hilton Hotel this Sunday.
