IT can be argued that Durban North resident, Gratton Rush, struck gold when he first laid eyes on his wife, Denise (née Gordon) when he was only 19 years old.
At the time they both lived in a tight-knit community in Zambia, (at the time it was known as Northern Rhodesia). Gratton worked on the copper mines, and 16-year-old Denise was still at school. On the fateful day the lovebirds happened to be relaxing at the community swimming pool, where Gratton spotted Denise on the diving board, preparing to leap into the pool. He fell in love instantly.
“It was love at first sight. I knew that she was the one. There were no hesitations. I looked back at a mutual friend and said, “I am going to marry that girl”,” said Gratton.
The handsome young man was determined to make contact with the love of his life and approached her as she exited the change rooms. “He walked right up to me and said, ‘I have seen you once before. Can I come and watch television at your house?’, and that was the beginning of our relationship,” said Denise.
While looking fondly at her husband, Denise admitted that she also knew that he was her soul-mate right from the very beginning. “I just knew from the start. I looked into his beautiful blue eyes and I could tell that he was a genuine, sweet man,” she gushed.
While Gratton regularly visited Denise at her home, he did have some difficulties in courting Denise.
“I was living with my grandmother, and she was rather strict. Gratton was not allowed to stay very long. He soon realised that he had to court my granny as well as me,” she joked.
In 1965 the couple shared their vows in an intimate wedding – two years after moving to South Africa. On Friday, 30 January the couple will be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary.
The couple have two children and two grandchildren. Gratton remained in the mining industry until he retired, and Denise became a tennis coach.
The couple attributed a solid foundation to the success of their marriage, as well as their connection to God. “Communication, respect, trust and accountability are important for any relationship,” explained Denise.
