HILLCREST residents, John and Grace Corcoran celebrated their golden anniversary on Saturday, 10 December.
John, who is from Manchester, England, met Grace in Durban through friends and they were married in the old Pinetown Catholic Church on 10 December 1966. They lived in Manchester for a few years, where their first daughter, Odette, was born.
John was an engineer, and on their return to South Africa he worked for Metalbox and Rockham, in Durban. He eventually started his own company, Braceable Manufacturing, Pinetown, in 1988 and he still plays an active role in the business today.
Their second daughter, Verna, was born in Durban. Grace stayed at home to raise the children and look after the home. They lived a happy life in the Bluff where their two daughters schooled.
Grace has always been involved with the Methodist Church, and was a member of the Women’s Auxiliary on the Bluff and when they moved up to Hillcrest, 14 years ago, she joined the local church’s Bible study group.
They both love gardening, and John grows and cultivates orchids. They also both love cooking and spending time with their grandchildren and family. They have three grandsons and a granddaughter, all of whom live in Hillcrest.
To celebrate their golden anniversary, the family had a special luncheon in Hillcrest on Saturday, 10 December. Included on the guest list were the only remaining members of the wedding party, bridesmaid Pat Maslen, Grace’s sister, and Grace’s sister-in-law, Julianne Stewart from Texas, USA.