George and Moyna: 65 years together and loving it

BALLINA residents George and Moyna Pearse recently celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary and hope for many more to come.

Ballina residents George and Moyna Pearse are celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary recently.

THE average length of an Australian marriage is 12 years, according to the ABS, but George and Moyna Pearse have that figure well and truly beaten after notching 65 years together.

The Ballina residents began their love story in Grafton, where they met through their church.

"When I went to Grafton to work in the council, I belonged to the Methodist church and so did Moyna," Mr Pearse said. "They had a boys group and a girls group at the church and I used to attend, but what happened was the matchmakers at the church put Moyna and I together," Mr Pearse said.

Despite the wedding being more than six decades ago, the couple still remember the details of their special day vividly.

"Moyna can still recite the vows she made," Mr Pearse said.

"We got a few photos, we remember who was in the wedding party, where we had the wedding breakfast, we went to Katoomba for our honeymoon," Mr Pearse said.

"It was very, very cold but we found a good coffee shop so we stayed inside," Mrs Pearse said.

The secret to a long, fulfilling marriage according to the pair is to never stop loving your partner for who they are … and learning to say "yes dear".

"We didn't ever have any rows, they were just perhaps misunderstandings and they were always resolved I am happy to say," Mrs Pearse said.

"We've never had any serious problems, we've always managed our lives together, I usually did what I was told," Mr Pearse said.

"I just love him all the time for what he is and for what I hope he is going to be," Mrs Pearse said.

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