Love, communication and compromise are the key ingredients needed for a long lasting marriage say a loved up Ayrshire couple who celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary last week.
Elizabeth ‘Betty’ McKie Dunlop, 89, and husband Robert ‘Bert’ Dunlop, 93, marked their platinum wedding anniversary at Malin Court Care Home in Turnberry on June 27.
The pair first met at St Quivox Church, Prestwick, in the early 1950s, after Betty’s brother, Samuel, introduced the pair believing that they would make a great match for each other.
“My brother was right – we are a perfect match!” said great-grandmother-of-five Betty.
Bert and Betty tied the knot in 1953 and went on to have two children, Kenneth and Gillian, and said raising their family - which includes lapdog Michelle - has been the greatest joy in life.
The pair now have four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren to cherish, based across Kilmarnock, Gloucestershire and West Sussex.
Betty worked as a district nurse around Ayrshire for many years, while Bert worked as ground crew for the Lancaster bombers based at RAF Kinloss after the end of the Second World War, before moving on to work as a policeman across Ayr, Catrine, Ballantrae and Girvan.
Bert and Betty shared a passion for badminton and the church, both eventually becoming elders at Girvan North Parish.
Reflecting on the last 70 years together, the couple agree that their strength has always been a mutual respect and reliance on each other, keeping their love strong over the last seven decades.
Bert said: “Betty is always there for me, and I am always there for Betty.
“We are always happy if we are simply just together. That’s what true love is.”
Communication is key, added the couple, when asked about offering some words of wisdom for other couples looking to go the distance.
Betty said: “Always talk to each other and come to agreements together.
“You both must be able to compromise and come to a mutual agreement over what you want, or a decision cannot be made.
“When it comes to a successful marriage, it is all about love, talking things through and agreeing together.”
The couple celebrated their milestone anniversary with a special afternoon tea shared with family and staff at the Renaissance Care care home.
Louise Dunlop, care home manager at Malin Court, said: “It has been lovely to celebrate Bert and Betty’s anniversary in the home.
“Seventy years is such an impressive amount of time and is a testament to the strong love between the pair of them.
“Celebrating the big moments and milestones in our residents’ lives is a top priority at Malin Court. All the staff love to get involved and make these occasions as special as possible.”
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