By Brendan Rees
A Berwick couple won’t let the coronavirus outbreak get in the way of celebrating a major milestone.
Ted Foster, 81, and his 78-year-old wife Pat met at a Wednesday night dance at the Dandenong Town Hall in 1957 and have been inseparable since as they celebrate their golden sixtieth wedding anniversary.
They hoped to mark the occasion by throwing a party but the pandemic has halted their plans.
Instead, the lovebirds will be “spending lots of time” on the telephone to friends and family as well as organising a video family call using WhatsApp to celebrate the day on Thursday 16 April.
Born in Enfield, London in 1941, Pat immigrated to Australia with her parents when she was 11 and they moved to Noble Park.
Pat worked at the Commonwealth Bank while Ted was a builder. They bought a block of land in Berwick where Ted built the first two rooms of their home.
They married on 16 April, 1960 at St Columba Presbyterian Church in Noble Park and moved into their home where they have lived ever since.
Ted and Pat added more rooms as they raised their four children, Warren, Greg, Allison and Jennifer (deceased).
Daughter Allison described her father as a “very talented” handyman and could “mend and recycle almost anything”.
He also loves to rebuild vintage motorbikes with his son Warren.
Ted was born in 1938 in Frankston. His parents moved to a farm in Narre Warren East in 1948. Ted went on to work at Hallam High School as a cleaner/handyman for 19 years before his retirement.
Pat went back to school and studied science to become a lab technician at Noble Park High School before her retirement.
The couple were involved in the 2nd Berwick Scout group for about 15 years. Pat was a cub leader and Ted was a scout, venturer, rover and group leader.
Ted was involved in Rotary and the Masonic Lodge and School Councils while Pat enjoys volunteering at the Berwick Library.
They both love gardening and travelling – having travelled extensively through the UK, Europe, Asia and the Pacific as well as seeing a lot of Australia.
Today, they have five grandchildren which they adore.
When asked about their secret to a long and happy marriage they say “always working on it and not giving up when the times were tough”.
Through his daughter, Allison, Ted contacted Star News to surprise his wife on their milestone day by publishing this article.
