On January 23, 1947 Gladys Pauline Mason married Kenneth Noel Beckett in a ceremony at St Andrews Presbyterian Church in Orbost, Victoria. The groom was 18 and his bride was 17.

At the time of their marriage, both Kenneth and Gladys were listed as living in Newmerella in Victoria, only a short distance from where they were married.

Together they had six children, Dianne, John, Ken, David, Glen and Judy.

Mum was in cleaning and they did a lot of seasonal work too, dad was a labourer in the bush, he cut timber and they used to go and pick cherries and grapes, the Nowra couples eldest child Dianne Goodsell said.

They met when they were both doing seasonal work, dad liked her first, but she said she didnt go much on him.

However, Gladys mother Beatrice Mason was convinced he was the right man for her daughter.

My grandmother loved him, she thought he was lovely, she said to mum you marry that man, hes a good man, Mrs Goodsell said.

Mum admitted she did like him but she didnt want to get married so young.

The family left Victoria when Mrs Goodsell was a child.

They moved to Falls Creek when I was about four or five, she said.

We lived there for a long time and when I was 12, going to high school, we moved up to Albert Street in Nowra and theyve been there ever since.

Mrs Goodsell said her parents relationship had thrived because of their shared interests.

Theyre still together, theyre compatible, they are both very family oriented and they love their family, she said.

They do everything together, even now they go to bed holding hands of a night time and they walk around the streets holding hands.

People say to me, your parents are amazing, weve never seen anything like it. Theyre just very special.