Golden years of marriage

By Lia Bichel
AFTER 50 years together, golden couple Emmanuel and Rita Cuschieri are still madly in love.
On 29 January, their families threw a surprise celebration for the Narre Warren couple’s 50th wedding anniversary which was on 27 January.
They attended a special Thanksgiving Mass at Our Lady Help of Christians Church in Narre Warren where they received a special blessing, followed by a special family lunch at the Freccia Azzura Club in Keysborough. Mr Cuschieri also surprised his wife with a champagne diamond and gold ring.
“I can’t believe it sometimes,” Mr Cuschieri said.
“We came from Malta. I was16, she was 14. It was love atfirst sight.”
Mr Cuschieri met hiswife through her two older brothers who he played soccerwith at Springvale City Soccer Club.
On 27 January, 1962, they married at St Joseph’s Church in Springvale, Victoria before honeymooning in Sydney.
Mrs Cuschieri was 17 when she married her sweetheart, and while the priest was concerned about her age, she never doubted her decision.
“He’s my soulmate,” she said.
“He looks after me. I don’t know what I would do without him.”
The two lived in Springvale, where they had three children, Steven, Charles and Helen.
Mr Cuschieri worked for GMH in Dandenong for over 28 years, then Nissan in Clayton for more than ten years and Moore’s Printing in Clayton until he retired in 2002 at the age of 65.
Mrs Cuschieri stayed at home to care for the family.
In 1999, they moved to Narre Warren to be close to their children and their grandchildren.
Mrs Cuschieri said that the secret to having such a successful marriage was trust and communication.
“We disagree about things then we make up five minutes later,” she said.
“We trust each other and talk and if we argue we make up.”
The couple have a number of similar passions including travelling, dancing, their children and their grandchildren.