Couple’s love is diamond strong

LOVING Hillcrest couple, Brian and Conie O’Neill, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on 13 October.

They first laid eyes on each other in Simon’s Town in Cape Town when Connie was 18 and Brian was 22-years-old. “It was love at first sight,” said Connie. “He was with a friend and they were going to the movies. I walked past, saw him, and thought ‘wow’.”

A few days later, a friend of Connie’s invited her to movies and was told that Brian would also be there. “I thought I better go. It seems like only yesterday, but time flies,” she said.

Henry emphasised that he was in the armed forces when Connie first saw him. “I was in the armed forces and she looked at me and said, wow, what a wonderful looking man,” he laughed.

Three months later, they were married at the magistrate’s court. “In those days, you married young. When I look back now, and I ask myself, what were we thinking? We were so young but were so totally in love and we wanted babies straight away. Every month we were disappointed when we weren’t pregnant,” said Brian.

The O’Neills welcomed their first child in 1958. They are now the parents of five, grandparents of seven and the proud great grandparents of two. The family is very close and keep in constant contact with each other. The tech savvy lovebirds also keep up with their family’s ongoing through Facebook. “I absolutely love my entire family,” said Connie.

Connie was a manager at Edgars for five years and was transferred to the Pinetown branch when Brian’s was offered a position in Durban. She then took up a position as a financial advisor for a few years and then worked for an insurance broker for nearly 20 years. Brian worked with machines after his time in the armed forces. Now they are retired and try to take part in as many activities that are available to them at Le Domaine, from reading in the library to swimming and working out a the gym. They are also actively involved at the City Hill church.

For Connie, the strength behind their long-lasting relationship has been the constant love and their unwavering belief in God. “We have had hard times as Brian was retrenched twice. It wasn’t easy, but the love was there and that is what counted. Couples give up too easily and they start wandering away from each other instead of keeping their eyes on each other and keeping the love aflame.”

“I think it’s that leash around my neck,” laughed Brian. “In all seriousness, God has been our answer and it was to walk with him. It costs me nothing to say I am sorry or I love you.”

To celebrate their anniversary, Brain and Connie first hosted a home group celebration at their home in Hillcrest, then held a family function and the following week had another celebration with their friends.