Ken and Natalie Parnell first appeared in the pages of The Nowra Leader in 1951, arms linked, their faces beaming, they had just said ‘I do’ and were leaving All Saints Church in Nowra for the first time as Mr and Mrs Parnell.
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On Saturday the couple celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary with close family and friends at the Huskisson Bowling Club.
Ken 92 and Natalie 84 both grew up in Tomerong and met through their families who were close friends.
“I don’t know how we met originally,” Mrs Parnell said.
“We all went to school together and when we moved to Tomerong our families were always together on the weekends.”
Mr Parnell reminisced about the time they spent together when they were younger.
“I used to drive her to Nowra to take her to tech,” he said.
“I had a pretty good old car an A Model Ford.”
It was the same car he taught Mrs Parnell to drive in before gaining her licence.
The couple lived in the one house all their married life. Shortly after their wedding they built the service station at Tomerong which they ran for 35 years.
Together they have three sons, Lindsey, Geoff and Greg and five grandchildren.
Although they didn’t divulge any secrets to an enduring marriage, they both agreed getting along was essential.
“They don’t last 65 days these days,” she chuckled.
“It’s important to just believe in one another.”
While Mr Parnell’s advice was “don’t fight too much”.
