Cove Bay couple celebrate 65th anniversary – all it took was a dance and family matchmaking

A couple who grew up on the same street, and went to school in the same area are celebrating their blue sapphire anniversary.

Over the years Dennis and Marjorie Pickard have shared many memories in their 65 together.

Living in Cove Bay all their lives, the couple grew up only two houses away from each other.

They attended the same school and yet never said more than “hello” in passing over the years.

It was not until Mr Pickard came back from national service and attended a Friday night dance at the Cove Bay Hotel that things changed.

Matchmaking mum brought couple together

After being told by a friend that Mrs Pickard fancied him, he went over and spoke to her. Mr Pickard said: “One thing led to another and then we courted for three years and then got married in 1957.”

However, speaking to Mrs Pickard, she said that is not quite what happened.

“Actually my mother had something to do with it,” she said. “When Dennis came home from the army, he was with the Gordon Highlanders, she said ‘Oh he’s a dreamboat’ and that was it.

“My brother had something to do with it as well. He bet Dennis to see if I would let him walk me home and it started from there.”

With their families also having lived in Cove Bay for four generations, Mrs Pickard added: “Perhaps it was fated.”

Years on the road helped the marriage

After getting married on December 12 1957, they had three children over the years, Dennis, Susan and Ian.

Mr Pickard became a long haul lorry driver taking Highland beef from Portlethen slaughterhouse all over Europe.

His job took him as far as Monte Carlo and sometimes he would be gone for two weeks at a time.

Feeling like he was “king of the road” at the time, he joked that the job helped their marriage.

“It was all different then there was no hurry, hurry, hurry,” he added.

“I suppose that’s the reason Marjorie and I have been married for so long. A lot of weeks I wasn’t here, you know for sometimes two weeks at a time.”

Despite enjoying travelling he said he got tired of it after a while and always enjoyed coming home.

He would often come back for the weekend and would usually bring back some sweets or a little surprise for their kids who would always be looking out for him.

Mrs Pickard said she was really left to bring up the three children and was described by her daughter Susan McKenzie as a “strong and wonderful woman.”

She added: “She was very understanding, considering what we put her through.”

A letter from the king

In their later years, the couple enjoyed going on bus tours together, particularly to Portugal, where they met good friends  who they still keep in touch with.

Mrs Pickard said the later years “made up for all the time he was away”.

Now, the couple have two grandchildren who also attended Portlethen Academy say they live a “pretty quiet life”.

When asked what the secret to their long marriage is, Mrs Pickard said: “We talk a lot and do things together. I do the garden and Dennis does the heavy work.”

When celebrating their 65th anniversary on December 12, their family organised a surprise birthday to celebrate the massive milestone.

Daughter Mrs McKenzie, who also helped to organise a congratulatory letter from King Charles for the occasion, said the couple were “bowled over”.

She added: “I daresay it’s not been easy…but I think it has mellowed in time and it’s a massive achievement.”