Summer love sparks five decades of memories
Between loving glances Glen and Avril Farman told the Northglen News of their unlikely romance. On 17 April the Durban North couple will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.
WHEN the Northglen News stepped into the home of Glen and Avril Farman last week, it was immediately clear that after five decades of marriage the couple still share a great deal of love and fond memories. Between loving glances they told of their unlikely romance. On 17 April the Durban North couple will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.
Avril (70) and Glen (74) met in 1960 on the Durban Country Club beach, when she and her family, who lived in Pietermaritzburg, were on holiday. The young beauty was only 15 years old when she caught the eye of 20-year-old Glen, who worked for the Durban Corporation Electricity Department as an apprentice electrician.
Glen had taken a drive to the beach on his lunch break when the two struck up a conversation. Smitten by the ‘Maritzburg resident, he immediately applied for a week’s leave when he arrived back at the office. “It definitely was love at first sight. I knew I had to spend as much time as I could with her before she went back home,” said Glen.
Avril admitted that she was equally taken with the handsome young Durbanite, who would wait for her alongside his BSA Golden Flash motorbike.
After a ten-day holiday romance Avril returned home with her family, but Glen was determined to continue courting the love of his life. Every Friday he would brave the long drive from Durban North to Pietermaritzburg on his motorbike to spend the weekend with her.
Three years later, after Avril completed her matric year, Glen proposed, and in 1965 the couple exchanged their vows at the Durban North Methodist Church. The newly-weds lived in uMhlanga Rocks for 37 years before moving to Ballito, where they stayed for 12 years. Recently the Farmans moved to Durban North to settle down in a retirement village.
Over the years the duo’s marriage has been blessed with three daughters – Kerry, Heidi and Shelley – three son-in-laws as well as six grandchildren. “We are truly blessed and a very close-knit family. All of our kids live nearby, and it is such a blessing to be able to spend so much precious time with them,” said Glen.
When asked what their recipe for success has been all these years, Avril said, “We are best friends and soul mates. I believe communication and trust have contributed to our success. We make sure to appreciate each other and to never go to bed angry.”
