WHEN Lindsay and Val Smith met at a dance in Delungra 65 years ago, who would have imagined that relationship would still be going strong today.

Lindsay and Val celebrated their 65th anniversary on Wednesday, and they say the secret to such a long lasting partnership is “good health and a magnificent family”.

Lindsay had lived his whole life around Delungra and Val was from Warialda when they met as young working people at a dance held in Delungra.

They married soon after at the Delungra Church of England, which is still standing today.

“We are just a normal couple,” Lindsay said. “We lived in the Delungra area until we moved into Inverell, and have had an excellent life together.”

Lindsay and Val have four children, Robert, Mel, Elaine Fox and Cheryleen McDowell and seven grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.

When asked the secret to such a long lasting and happy relationship, Val laughed and said “a bit of luck”.

Lindsay expanded the subject: “We have been lucky to have fairly good health, of course there have been bumps on the way, but we also have a magnificent family.

“You could not ask for a better family, we have a big family and all of them are industrious, we are very proud of them.”

Val added: “We have also taken the time to sit down and work things out when there has been problems.”

Times certainly have changed since Lindsay and Val were newlyweds and raising their family, and Lindsay did admit that he sometimes worried about the type of world his great-grandchildren would live in.

“These are very different times to when our children were small, but I have to say our family is great and there are certainly no duds amongst them, our grand-children and great grand-children have had the best start in their life from their parents, I just hope that stays the same.”

Lindsay and Val’s family have certainly enjoyed success, with composers and helicopter pilots among their grandchildren, and they are looking forward to Christmas to spend time with their extended family.

The couple have travelled extensively themselves, particularly over the last 20 years, visiting Canada, New Zealand and the UK as well as travelling all around Australia.

“We have had a really good life, we are just an ordinary couple who have been very lucky and if we make it to 70 years together we will be very happy.”

© 2009 Inverell Times

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