THE passage of time has only brought these two closer together as they celebrated 60 years of wedded bliss with family and friends.
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Before the days of social media status updates and instagram pics, two ‘kids’, as Don and Helen Symes aptly put it, first met under the bleachers at the circus.
“There were four nurses,” said Mr Symes.
“They were sitting in front of us and they kept playing around and dropping their purses and would ask if we could go around and pick them up for them.”
After several trips below, Mr Symes decided his good-samaritan partner was someone he enjoyed spending time with and worked up the courage to ask her out.
“After the circus was finished I said to Helen, ‘would you like to go a movie?’”
“And she said yes.”
His response drew a smile from his bride of 60 years also fondly remembering the day their paths crossed.
Mrs Symes was pleased to share their momentous day with family and friends and was quite happy to pass along some advice.
“Take everything as it comes along and keep your family together,” she said.
“I think in marriage you need to have patience and a rabbit trap,” Mr Symes said with a wry grin.
“And you have to be a good fisherman to be able to tie the right knots so she won’t get away.”
His comment drew giggles from both, but it was obvious that knots and rabbit traps didn’t come into play as neither wanted to be anywhere but right at each other’s side.
Thinking of those considering tying the knot today they recommended the importance of being patient and showing understanding to one another.
“Don’t get stuck in an argument, just get over it and move on” Mrs Symes said.
“There’s too much that lies ahead to focus on being unhappy.”
Family is everything to the couple and it is an important value they passed on to their children and in due time to their grandchildren as well.
Many of their descendants spoke fondly of weekend barbecues at the Symes’ house and how important the family time was.
“We are really lucky,” said their grandson Paul Symes.
“We spent a lot of time together out there.”
Everyone embraced the occasion, and were pleased to celebrate Mr and Mrs Symes’ anniversary as a family.