By JESSE GRAHAM
A COUPLE with a rich history in the Dandenong Ranges celebrated a life lived together with a surprise family event this month, marking six decades of matrimony.
Bill and Mary Andrews had their 60th wedding anniversary on Thursday 27 February, celebrating the event on Sunday 2 March in a family event at Monbulk’s Rose Cottage.
The pair married in 1964, when Bill was 23 and Mary was 18 at a church in Officer, and lived in Monbulk for the first 45 years of their life together.
Bill and Mary’s eldest daughter, Debbie Westle, said her parents had celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary at the Rose Cottage, which made it a natural choice to celebrate the 60th milestone there also.
However, the 60th celebration was a surprise for the couple, and the family had organised Bill’s best man, Harry Schafer, and Mary’s childhood best friend Rose to attend.
Debbie said the day went off without a hitch, and that Bill cried with joy upon seeing his old friend and his family gathered for the occasion.
She congratulated her parents for reaching the remarkable marital milestone, and said that she had applied to have a congratulatory letter from Queen Elizabeth II sent to them.
“I think it’s amazing that someone’s got to their 60th anniversary,” she said.
“They’ve been through some tough times, but they’ve managed to get through it.
“It’s nice to see someone last that long in a marriage.”
During Mr and Mrs Andrews’ time in Monbulk, they helped to run the Mountain Grand Milkbar for around eight years. They are now retired and live in Pakenham.
The couple had four children – Melanie, Nadine, Debbie, and son Greg (now deceased), five grandchildren, one great grandchild and two step great grandchildren.
