By KATH GANNAWAY
LIKE many of their generation, the first spark of romance for Bill and Gwen Parker was at the local dance.
As they mark 70 years together today (Tuesday, 8 December), they have a lifetime of memories to celebrate.
Gwen Blanksby grew up in the Seville/Wandin area and Bill on the family farm in Silvan South.
The dancing lessons he had as a young man, were a great investment.
“After going to dancing classes and learning to dance, I went along to the East Wandin dances in the hall there.
“I asked Gwen to dance and we just went on from there.”
The couple was married in the Wandin Yallock Methodist Church on 8 December 1945, and had a couple of days honeymooning at a guest house in Sherbrooke.
As the youngest son, Bill saw his two brothers go off to war, but the family’s dairy farm was designated as an essential service and he worked with his father in keeping the farm in Silvan going.
Bill and Gwen raised six children, Helen, Ethel, Kevin, Heather, Graham and Rodney on their small farm property.
They have 10 grandchildren, and 10 great grandchildren.
Bill worked for Telecom for a number of years and the farm kept the family busy.
A celebration on Sunday at Mont De Lancey recognised 70 wonderful years of marriage, and a wonderful partnership.
Their secret to a long and happy marriage? No secret really. “You just sort of stay together, and take what comes together,” Bill said.
They say they’ve have had a good life, but it’s flown by.
“It’s hard to know where all that time went,” Gwen said.
Bill agrees. “Yes … it went pretty quick”.
