MORE than six decades after they were wed in St Mary’s Catholic Church in Ipswich, Matt and Elaine Dale, reflect on their happiness and on the adventures they have shared with each other and with their family and friends.
The couple will celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary on July 5.
They can still recall, as if it were yesterday, their first meeting on the dance floor of the Ipswich town hall. They were both 18-years-old at the time.
Matt joined the Queensland Police Force when he was 20. When he was posted to Longreach, he proposed and they were engaged before he left.
Elaine said that Matt travelled back to marry her. Matt’s sister Margaret was the bridesmaid and good friend, Ken Boyd, was the best man.
“We bought a little house at Bulimba, then later moved to East Brisbane, and after that to Ipswich, before settling in Rosewood in 1976,” she said.
“While in Brisbane, Matt played saxophone in a dance band.
“Then he left the police force in 1972 and went on to work for Colonial Mutual Life Insurance.
“In 1978, we began a new endeavour and opened a snack bar and fruit shop known as the Corner Plaza in Rosewood.
“We successfully ran the business together before selling it in 1984.
“We then worked with Cross and Embrey Real Estate, which we later bought, before retiring in 1999.”
Matt is a life member of the Rosewood Lions Club, the Rosewood Bowls Club and Elaine has been Secretary of the Rosewood Women’s Group for about 20 years.
Together they have travelled around Australia with the Queensland Police Bowls Club and also to overseas destinations with the Australian Police Bowls Club, although Elaine did not play bowls, she said that she really enjoyed the trips.
“Our family is dear to us,” Elaine said.
“We have been blessed with five children, and now we have 15 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren.
“Over the years we have been involved in the St Brigid’s Catholic Church and other community events.”
Posing the question of ‘where have the years gone?’, they talk of the many happy memories they have made in that time.
