By ALESHA CAPONE
LOVE blossomed between Bill Nichol and his future wife Jean during the 1940s – thanks to her father.
The Spotswood husband and wife recently celebrated their 67th wedding anniversary.
Aged just 18 and 23, they married in England during November 1945.
Mr Nicol joined the air force in 1942 during World War II and remained in England until November 1945 to help out returning prisoners of war.
The future husband and wife met after Mr Nicol and his friends threw pebbles at Jean and her sister.
Mrs Nicol told her father – who she said developed a fondness for Australians after serving with them in World War I – about the incident.
“My father said, ‘Why didn’t you bring him home for dinner?’ and sent me back to find him,” she said.
“It’s my father’s fault we’re married. It all started then.”
After returning to Australia with his new bride, Mr Nicol worked as a newspaper artist and served as head of the art department at Altona North Technical School for 22 years.
The pair have three children, five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
They also share an irreverent sense of humour, with Mr Nicol claiming the secret to a successful marriage is not interrupting his wife while she talks.
“Who does all the talking? I barely get a word in edgeways,” Mrs Nicol said.
Her 90-year-old husband said a doctor recently predicted he would live until the age of 110.
“I told him I’m not pushing his wheelchair around,” Mrs Nicol said.
Mr Nicol said he and his wife share a love of plants. They have a colourful garden which has featured on television shows including ‘Gardening Australia’, ‘Vasili’s Garden’ and ‘Burke’s Backyard’.
Mr Nicol is a life member of the Altona Garden Club and also belongs to the Williamstown Garden Club.
Mrs Nichol was among the founding group of the Bromeliad Society of Victoria, which started in Yarraville.
