Werribee couple Phil and Muriel Kelly will celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary this year. 77014 Picture: DAMJAN JANEVSKI
By ALESHA CAPONE
THE traditional gift for a 70th wedding anniversary is diamonds, but a Werribee couple who have reached the milestone do not need a sparkling stone to commemorate their love.
Phil and Muriel Kelly will celebrate their anniversary this year, after getting married on 4 April, 1942 – but Mr Kelly said they did not want presents.
“We don’t need any – our family will be happy for us and that’s good enough for us,” he said.
The husband and wife live at Glendale Aged Care, owned by Lend Lease, in Werribee.
Mr Kelly was 16 when Muriel caught his eye, when she was walking down the street with friends.
“I thought she was a bit of alright,” he said.
The pair went on their first date a week later, and then married when Muriel was aged 20 years old.
The lovebirds then settled into marital bliss – with the exception of Mrs Kelly’s cooking skills.
“I had a better idea of it than she did, she didn’t know how to boil an egg, but she got a bit better,” Mr Kelly said.
However, the couple now have three children, six grandchildren and nine great-great grandchildren.
Mr Kelly, aged 91, said while his wife still recognised him, she does not remember much of their life together, due to her dementia.
“She loved dancing and bowls,” he said.
“In our day, all the young people used to go out and dance.”
Mr Kelly migrated to Australia from England in 1949, to work in shipbuilding, and Mrs Kelly followed him eight months later.
In those days, immigrants needed guaranteed accommodation before their wives were allowed to join them.
Mr Kelly said the secret of his long marriage seemed to be compatibility.
“Maybe it’s luck, I don’t know. Compatibility, caring and sharing,” he said.
“It’s just a case of dealing with life as it happens, trying to be a good father and a good parent.”
