Sharing ‘makes the marriage last’

By Kelly Yates
A BERWICK couple have just celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.
Max and Barbara Winfield from the Berwick Retirement Village celebrated their golden wedding anniversary on 15 March with a trip to Queensland.
The couple met 54 years ago at a local dance and were married in South Melbourne and honeymooned in Sydney.
A dress maker by trade, Mrs Winfield made all of her bridesmaids’ dresses.
During their 50 years of marriage, they have travelled to New Zealand, USA, Canada, Bali and Fiji but these days prefer to travel within Australia with their favourite holiday destination being Merimbula.
“We travel to Merimbula once or twice a year. We love it there because it’s a nice place to relax and just chill out,” Mr Winfield said.
These days the happy couple enjoy spending their time with family and friends and are members of the Pakenham Organ Club.
Their milestone anniversary day was celebrated with a family dinner at the Bear House restaurant in Cranbourne.
Mr Winfield said the key to a successful marriage was to give and take.
“You have to be willing to share everything and be prepared to give a little and take a little,” he said.
He said it was sad to think that reaching 50 years of marriage was quite rare these days.
“Young people have expectations that are too high and it puts a strain on the marriages,” he said.
Mr Winfield said the past 50 years has been an interesting time for them.
He said it was Barbara’s good looks that first attracted him to her.
“I was on the lookout at the dance for a prospective wife and it was pretty much love at first sight,” he said.
Mr Winfield, 72, and his wife, 71 say they will be together, forever.