It’s not often one hears of a 60-year wedding anniversary, but 2 July was exactly that for Susan Smit (neé Nicholson) and her husband Frederick. “But we’ve been together for 62 years! We got married after two years together.” She was 19 and he was 25.
Susan Nicholson-Smit is a Linden High alumna and originally from Ferndale. She spent her youth as a social worker and at 78 years old, is still working. She assists a lady in a retirement home who has Alzheimer’s by running errands, doing shopping and basic physiotherapy with her.
Frederick Smit grew up in Ventersdorp and started working at the South African Railways when he left school where he trained as a welder. At 84 he is not quite as active as his wife, having dealt with health problems resulting from asbestos in his lungs.
Their daughter Magda (37) is extremely proud of her parents. “It’s a huge milestone. They have stood right by me through thick and thin.” She is referring to her diagnosis of rigid spine syndrome 23 years ago. “They are wonderful parents. Their love for each other has spilled over to me as well.”
Despite losing two of their four children – their eldest son (58) last year and their eldest daughter in 1995 when she was only 30 years old – Susan insists they have plenty for which to be thankful. Their surviving son is 57 and they have Magda who lives with them.
When asked about how they made their marriage work for six decades, Susan said, “We’ve had our ups and downs but we have no regrets. You grow together. So many young people fight, one gets in the car and drives off and then it’s over. That’s terrible. Never go to bed without saying ‘I’m sorry.’ We still have our fights, but they don’t even last five minutes before we talk about something else.”
Susan has lost touch with many of her friends in the area. If anyone remembers her, she’d love to hear from people she knew.
Details: Susan Nicholson-Smit, 011 477 2797 or 073 037 4441.
