New Germany vintage cars enthusiasts toast to 50 years
Adventurous New Germany couple, Lawrence and Jill Sysum celebrate their golden anniversary.
FROM touring Australia in their MGA to showcasing their acting and vocal talent at the Westville Theatre Club, adventurous New Germany couple, Lawrence and Jill Sysum have created incredible memories in their 50 years of marriage.
To celebrate their five decades of wedded bliss on Saturday, July 3, the couple indulged in Asian cuisine as it was the type of food they ate on their first anniversary.
ALSO READ: Waterfall seniors step it up for fundraiser
Lawrence and Jill, who share a love of classic cars, met while playing badminton at a local club in Zambia where they both grew up.
Jill was driving a MG Midget which she has owned for 54 years.
“I always say he married me because of that car,” laughed Jill.
The Sysums have so much in common as they were both part of amateur dramatics, motorsport and races.
They have worked for many years with the Westville Theatre Club, with Jill being involved in acting and directing while Lawrence focussed more on singing.
Before tying the knot on July 3, 1971, Lawrence said they were close friends and the sparks continued to fly as time went by.
“When I first met her, I really thought she was a beautiful lady and she still is,” said Lawrence.
The couple moved to Johannesburg shortly after getting married and relocated to New Germany, in 1986, which has been their home for the past 35 years.
Jill said she loves that her husband is a kind man.
“He is very friendly and he talks a lot,” she said.
For Lawrence, it’s his wife’s unique character which he said is
sometimes difficult to put it into words.
Even though the love birds have common interests, they said they are also supportive of each other. “We tend to allow each other to do our own thing and we let each other grow which is very important in a relationship,” they added.
ALSO READ: Westville couple celebrates 50 years of love
The members of the MG and 4 x 4 car clubs said they have had great memories touring the world. “One of the highlights was a tour right across Australia with our MGA which is still in a good condition after 52 years.
Before lockdown, the couple with their two friends, known as the Madhouse 5, used to visit old age homes where they provided entertainment for the senior citizens.
“We love the stage and we did this as part of giving back as old people can not go out as they would like to,” said Lawrence.
They both agreed that their biggest blessings have been their three boys and eight grandchildren.
Coronavirus reporting at Caxton Local Media aims to combat fake news
Dear reader, As your local news provider, we have the duty of keeping you factually informed on Covid-19 developments. As you may have noticed, mis- and disinformation (also known as “fake news”) is circulating online. Caxton Local Media is determined to filter through the masses of information doing the rounds and to separate truth from untruth in order to keep you adequately informed. Local newsrooms follow a strict pre-publication fact-checking protocol. A national task team has been established to assist in bringing you credible news reports on Covid-19. Readers with any comments or queries may contact National Group Editor Irma Green (irma@caxton.co.za) or Legal Adviser Helene Eloff (helene@caxton.co.za).
