Real lives: George and Greta celebrate 60 happy years of give and take

Published on Thursday 11 June 2009 10:14

Happy couple George and Greta Marshall are due to celebrate their diamond wedding.

The pair, who enjoy completing crosswords and puzzles, say the solution to a happy marriage is not arguing.

George, 80 and Greta, 83, of Liston Road, Kirkliston, are celebrating 60 years together since meeting through George's sister in 1948.

They married on 4 June 1949 at St Paul's and St George's on York Place in Edinburgh after getting engaged on the ferry from South Queensferry to North Queensferry a year earlier.

Originally from Edinburgh, George went to Portobello Secondary School and later served in the Royal Artillery for 12 years in post-war Germany and the south of England.

He then worked as an electronic engineer for Drambuie.

Greta grew up on a farm in Blairlogie and attended Stirling Secondary School, later working for John Menzies and John Lewis.

She said: "You didn't have much of a choice of possible careers back then – you just took what you were given.

"I didn't start working for some time because we were farmers so we didn't really have to go to work as long as we helped on the farm."

The couple have lived in Kirkliston for 30 years and have two children, Ingrid and Gillian, born in 1951 and 1957.

They are also the proud grandparents of Jennifer and Claire, and two great-grandchildren, Daisy, four and Aaron, five.

Ingrid will celebrate her 37th anniversary with husband David today.

Continuing the family tradition, Gillian works for John Lewis.

George and Greta like to entertain themselves with crosswords and word puzzles.

Greta added: "I enjoy doing anything that uses the mind."

They have travelled to Majorca and other parts of Spain several times, as well as to mainland Europe.

She said: "We've had holidays every year since the day we got married. Though I don't think we'll be able to return now because insurance is getting higher and higher as we get older."

After a happy 60 years the recipe for a long-lasting marriage, according to the couple, is a simple one based on mutual respect and understanding.

Greta said: "We just get on, there's just no point arguing. My advice to younger couples would be to just work on it – don't just have a tiff and break up – work on it and, of course, give and take."

"We have a lovely family who are all very attentive and looking back over our marriage there are just too many fond memories to recount."