Some consider Valentine’s Day to be an over-commercialised day full of unrealistic expectations, but for the couples of Seasons, they cherish any reason to tell their spouse ‘I love you’.
While these duos have shared full lives together, their unconditional love and special bond is ever-growing.
From first date jitters and wedding day tears to sharing their secrets to a longstanding and successful marriage, here are some of the best love stories at Seasons.
Ray & Heather
Whether they were performing the Gypsy Tap and Charleston or Quick-Step and Jive, Ray and Heather found an instant connection on the dance floor.
In fact, as soon as Ray laid eyes on Heather, he knew he wanted to ask her to dance at the Kedron Memorial Hall in 1953.
“Heather was the prettiest girl out of the 200-something girls at the dance,” Ray said.
“I can’t tell you what it was, but something just worked – there was that spark and it’s still there today.”
After four years of courting, the pair got married in 1957 at the Chermside Methodist Church – a day Ray still considers his most cherished.
“I still remember looking over my shoulder and seeing her walk down the aisle with the old fella hanging onto her and I just thought ‘hello’ and ‘I’m in trouble here’,” Ray said.
“That would be my favourite memory I think… well, it is the main highlight of your entire life together.”
As he did not have his own motorcar, Ray often committed to walking a mile from his house to the station in town, catching two trams to Kedron and walking to Heather’s parents house, just to see her.
But Ray did not just fall in love with Heather – he got on so famously with his future in-laws that the couple ended up building a home next door where they lived for more than six decades.
While Ray admits the couple, who share two children, two grandchildren and four grandchildren, have encountered challenges along the way, their special bond has never waned.
“Marriage is bloody hard work but it’s worth it,” he said.
“We’ve experienced heartaches and challenges together but we have also experienced the best in life together.”
Keith & Lorelle
When Keith first met Lorelle on the last leg of a P&O cruise, he knew she was one of a kind and while few things are smooth sailing, Keith admits their marriage has been pretty close.
“(When I first saw Lorelle) I could just tell… she was always very caring and loving,” he said.
“I find challenges always draw you closer together… we never had much money, but we always made sacrifices to get by and we’ve had a great life together.”
After the cruise, the pair met up for their first date with a group of friends from church and the rest, as they say, is history.
It has been 50 years since they were married at the Silkstone Baptist Church in Ipswich.
“Our wedding day was a very special day,” Keith said.
“We were actually very lucky because it was during the time of the great flood of ’74… it probably flooded because I was getting married!”
While Keith admits he was never a particularly romantic person, he always remembers their wedding anniversary – something Lorelle has always appreciated.
But when it comes to maintaining a happy marriage, Keith said it was comes down to “give and take”.
“We’ve done everything together all our lives,” he said.
“Be yourself and maintain your independence but always work together as a team.”
The couple share two children and four grandchildren.
Robyn & Darryl
Laughter has always been the best medicine for Robyn and Darryl, who are looking forward to celebrating 60 years of marriage in 2025.
The duo first met when they both played tennis socially and while they never versed each other on the court, the result was ‘love, set, match’.
After going to the pictures for their first date – a choice which Robyn felt came down to the fact she worked there so they likely got in for free – the couple married at the Anglican Church in Pittsworth and honeymooned at the Gold Coast.
Bonded by their faith, trust and love, the pair said they have many special memories from the past six decades together but Darryl remembers one particular tradition fondly.
“We used to go and have a picnic at the races and Robyn used to cook the best dixie chicken and bake a caramel tart too,” he said.
“Robyn is just remarkable… what you see now is what she’s like all the time.”
Whereas for Robyn, she always admired Darryl’s hard work ethic and great sense of humour.
“We laugh a lot,” she said.
“Darryl always worked so hard – we were living in Bundaberg and had no family there so Darryl would always do so many hours with the ambulance service and then do extra concreting work for people so he could make extra money and always provide for the family.
“Up until recently with Darryl’s health challenges, we have been quite fortunate, so we are very grateful for that, but we still have plenty of things to be thankful for.”
The couple share three children, nine children and three great grandchildren.
Ron and Beatrice
Drawn to Beatrice’s caring nature, Ron first met his now wife in hospital where she was working as a nurse, and he was seeking treatment for a chipped knee as a result of a tennis match.
“I was working as an apprentice fitter and turner at the time so was too busy to worry about girls, but as soon as Beatrice came on duty, I was just so drawn to her and impressed… she’s always been a beautiful girl,” Ron said.
“As soon as I saw her, I told myself I was going to ask her out, so I did but she made me work for it.”
The pair went to a local drive-thru burger shop for their first date and while Beatrice’s mother had initial concerns about the union, Ron quickly “won her over”.
The sweet couple got married at the Lutwyche Church of England in 1956.
Together they share four children, seven grandchildren and five great grandchildren.
When it comes to the secret of a long and successful marriage, Ron said it all came down to trusting and loving one another.
Describing Beatrice as his perfect match, Ron said while the couple never encountered overly difficult times, they always maintained communication which assisted with resolving potential issues.
“I had to go away for work for a week at a time, so Beatrice looked after the four children, took them to school and got them ready for scout meetings while I was away,” Ron said.
“She never complained and she was just always very diligent… I also love her caring nature.”
Margaret & Graeme
Not even an ocean and 17,000 air kilometers could stop Margaret and Graeme from being together.
The couple got married on a very special (but hot!) day in April 1972 in Geelong, Victoria, before relocating to Queensland in 1986.
Drawn to Graeme’s long red hair, Margaret first noticed him when he was wearing a bright red tracksuit for his role as the runner for the Lorne AFL Club.
“My cousin told me his nickname was Pooh Bear – well would you believe I ended up marrying Pooh Bear?” Margaret said.
“Graeme has always been really easy going and has always had such a nice disposition… I’ve argued with him, but I don’t think he’s ever argued with me – if I say something is happening he just goes with it.”
After her initial sighting of Graeme at the AFL Club, Margaret was officially introduced to him at a mutual friend’s party after a dance in Cairns and was later followed up with a phone call from Graeme asking her out on a date.
Margaret, who was working as a nurse at the time, was on holidays and had to go back to Melbourne before accepting a job at a hospital in London.
“I went to London and lasted a year because I couldn’t live without him,” Margaret said.
“We stayed in touch when I was away, but we didn’t have the technology we do now in those days, so you would have to book time to make a phone call back home.
“I remember I was having my morning tea in the hospital one shift when they called my name and said I had a phone call from Graeme in Australia… I went back to the ward in tears, so they sent me back to my room and that’s when I knew I had to go home.”
Margaret flew back to Australia and got engaged to Graeme. They have now been married for 52 years and share three children.
Over the years, the couple have made it a priority to share mutual interests, while supporting each other to maintain their individual hobbies too.
With no challenge too large for the couple to conquer as a team – even almost being stranded on the steps of the Met in New York after a miscommunication about times with a tour guide – Graeme said the key to a longstanding marriage was simple.
“Why argue when you can’t win? Just do what you’re told,” he said with a grin.
“In all seriousness, life has had lots of ups and downs, but everything Margaret and I do together – every day we share together, we really enjoy.”
Philip & Merrilyn
From New York and San Francisco, to London, Ireland, Rome and Prague, travelling the world together has been one of the highlights for Philip and Merrilyn.
The pair who got engaged at Merrilyn’s 21st birthday and met through mutual friends, will celebrate their 55th wedding anniversary next March.
Married at a church in Sale, Victoria, the couple share two sons and six grandchildren.
When it comes to the secret to a successful marriage, Merrilyn believes “tolerance” is key, while Philip said “mutual respect” was required.
“Our personalities are well suited, we have done a lot of travelling and we always go everywhere together,” Philip said.
Doug & Barb
Destined to be together are Doug and Barb, who have achieved so much together as a couple that it feels as though they have shared several lifetimes together, let alone 57 years married.
The couple first met through church and played tennis together socially, but it was not until a friend’s 21st birthday party that their friendship bloomed into something more.
“Barb was running around the party looking for a phone to call her father so he could pick her up, so I offered to drive her home and ended up asking her out on a date,” Doug said.
“I’m actually five years older than Barb – I even taught her Sunday School at one stage, but Barb was talking too much so she doesn’t remember any of it.”
Barb who admits “the talking too much hasn’t stopped” said she always had a soft spot for Doug but after just a few months of dating she knew he was the one.
“I remember I used to sit up in the choir at church and I would see Doug sitting with his mum and turning the pages in her hymn book for her which I thought was so lovely… it turns out she left her glasses at home and couldn’t see,” Barb said.
“Once we were together, it just worked really well straight away… we never tried to impress each other or be someone we weren’t – we just fit.”
The couple got engaged on the wedding anniversary of Doug’s parents in 1966 and got married at The Gap Methodist Church on Barb’s birthday in 1967.
Choosing the location as a special tribute for her grandparents who are both buried at the church, Barb placed a rose on her grandmother’s grave before the wedding and said the day “meant a lot to me.”
Over the years, the couple have travelled the world and Australia by boat, train and plane, volunteered with the Rural Fire Brigade for 20 years and were members of APEX Brisbane.
“Life isn’t perfect – there are times I know I’ve done things Doug doesn’t always agree with and vice-versa, but learning to disagree and move on is something you learn to manage over time,” Barb said.
“I always put Doug before myself… he might not believe that but I do and I think that’s the case for Doug too – it’s always been give and take for us.”
While Doug agreed with his wife’s sentiments, he said having a sense of humour, taking a step back and never going to bed without resolving an issue were also important in any marriage.
The pair said they also firmly believed in supporting each other’s hobbies whether it was Doug’s love for horse racing or stamp and coin collecting or Barb’s cooking, beading and craft pursuits.
A whizz in the kitchen, Barb’s best specialties are her battered or crumbed fish and cottage pie, according to Doug, but it was not always this seamless.
In the early days as newlyweds, Barb was so committed to learning how to cook Doug’s favourite meal of tripe that she took notes from his mum before serving it to him for the first time.
“Doug’s mum didn’t warn me that you had to cut it into little pieces, so I served it to Doug whole,” she said.
“He was very diplomatic about it and just cut it up himself.”
One of the pair’s first dates to the cinema was also interesting when Doug’s father who loved to be punctual, placed an alarm clock at the dinner table because he was convinced they would miss the movie.
“And if I didn’t walk out after that – I tell you what – I’m pretty tough,” Barb said.
Barb described Doug as trustworthy, reliable, caring and someone who has always had her back, while Doug said “her only vice is she tells lies” with a cheeky grin.
“It might seem strange to some people but something we always did was hold hands – it was just an automatic reaction – and I’ve always loved that,” Barb said.
“We’ve had two beautiful kids with very good work ethics which is what we tried to teach them and we’re so proud of them – and our four grandchildren too.
“Our lives are pretty boring really, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
