A SPARKLING Finstall couple have celebrated 65 years of happy marriage and have put the secret of their long-lasting love down to patience.
Avery and David Turner reached their blue sapphire anniversary on Wednesday (August 30) and marked the milestone with a special meal amongst friends.
Both 87 years old, the couple met in 1948 when Avery invited David to her 18th birthday party, they married four years later on her birthday, moving to Rubery and then Finstall in 1971.
Currently the President of Bromsgrove International Link, formerly Bromsgrove and District Twinning Association, David was a Quantity Surveyor until he retired in 1995 aged 65.
An active member of the community, he is an Ealdorman of Bromsgrove Court Leet and became Bailiff in 2001 after serving as Street Market Master for many years.
He also organised the annual Elizabethan Street Market for 17 years and was a Charter Member of Bromsgrove Lions Club as well as its second and fourth President.
He said: “We feel great that we are reaching this milestone.
“We never thought we would make it as it is quite unusual for people to stay together for so long these days.
“We don’t have any children so our friends are like our family, they are very good to us.
“In a marriage I think it is important to never go to bed on an argument and to get out and do things together.”
A retired teacher, Avery received a Master of Arts degree in Education at the age of 70 after studying with the Open University and is active in the town twinning field.
She said: “I think tolerance and patience is important.
“We have got lots of wonderful memories of our life together.”
