Celebrating 50 golden years, a Bonteheuwel couple say their secret to a successful marriage is love, respect, trust, and faith.
Mervyn Croeser, 72, and his wife Myrtle, 71, recently returned from a holiday where they enjoyed spending time together – something they have always loved doing.
Mervyn describes how he first met Myrtle at his sister’s birthday party in Bonteheuwel in 1967.
They dated for two years before getting hitched at the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court. There was a small reception at Myrtle’s parents’ home in Woodstock, where they lived for a year before moving into their own place a year later.
Mervyn was a sailor and often away at sea. Myrtle worked at a shirt factory in Woodstock.
A year after moving into their own home in Woodstock, the couple had their first child, a daughter they named Amanda. And five years later, they had another girl, Joy.
During this time they moved to Bonteheuwel, and their son, Peter John, was born about five years after Joy.
Myrtle left her job to take care of the children.
Asked what kept them together for so long, she says: “We did everything together and we went to church together. That is very important – we belong to the New Apostolic Church in Bonteheuwel West. We both worked to keep our marriage going, and we had love, respect, trust, and faith in each other.”
The couple have five grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Myrtle says she loves cooking curry for Mervyn as it’s his favourite meal.
“My husband was always a soccer lover, and he loved to read. The one thing that I love the most about him is that he is understanding and the way he loves me.”
Mervyn says they have always enjoyed spending time together, whether it’s a walk on the beach or just pottering about the house.
“We were never ones to visit others’ homes; we rather enjoyed the peace and tranquility of our own home and each others’ company.”
What he loves most about his wife is her cooking, he says. “She makes a wonderful pot of food.”
He counsels young couples to pray together, think twice before they speak, and to not be in a hurry to do things.