Love endures for 60 years

KATINA CURTIS

MAVIS and Alexander Booth are a couple still as much in love as when they met at a dance in Kiama more than 60 years ago.

The pair first met at the Odd Fellows Hall, which stood where the Kiama Leagues Club is now.

Mr Booth cycled into Kiama from his home in Curramore to attend the dances and, according to Mrs Booth, attracted a lot of attention from the local girls.

They were married on May 8, 1948, at the Anglican Church in Kiama and moved to the Resthaven dairy farm on Swap Rd, Dunmore, where Mr Booth worked as the farm manager for 36 years.

There they raised five children – Rosemarie, Louise, Peter, Anne and Christine – who still have fond memories of their country childhoods. Louise has named her house Resthaven and said she collects ornamental cows.

Mrs Booth said that although the family moved to Dapto in 1977, she still felt very much a part of the Kiama community and the couple still attended the O’Dwyer family Swamp Road reunion every year.

She said getting to their diamond wedding anniversary was “a great milestone”.

Her secret for long and happy marriage was to stay friends and have trust and respect.

“Love plays a major part in anything,” she said.

This is evident in their relationship, with their daughter Christine saying the living room was arranged with the two lounge chairs side by side so the couple could hold hands while they sat.

“There’s five kids and I’m the youngest and I’ve never really heard mum and dad fight,” Christine said.

Mrs Booth’s advice for young couples was to be honest with each other.

“There are a lot more temptations today,” she said. “She’s got her interests and he’s got his interests and when they come home, what have they got to talk about? Communication is so important.”

The Booths are celebrating their 60th anniversary with a family dinner at the Leagues Club – on the site where they first met – and possibly even with their favourite dance, the Valetta waltz.