Blaineys enjoy a love that lasts through the decades

RON Blainey met June at Canadian Bay on the Mornington Peninsula nearly 70 years ago, they fell in love as two 17-year-olds, and on February 27 celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary.

“We met on a mystery picnic, we didn’t have cars when we were younger, so they’d organise a furniture van and go out for picnics,” June said.

“We were both from Melbourne, I was from Heidelberg and Ron was from Coburg. We got married at St Patricks Cathedral in Melbourne on February 27, 1954 as 22-year-olds.”

Now the pair who are both 87 years old live together in Anglesea and have raised three children together: two sons and one daughter, who have gone on to have nine children amongst them.

“Our children are all grown up and we have nine grandchildren. We lived in Melbourne for 42 years and came down to the Surf Coast 20 years ago,” she said.

“We had our honeymoon in Lorne in 1954 and have been coming down to a little holiday house for decades that we bought before we moved to our house in Anglesea.”

June said she thinks it’s far too easy for people to get married nowadays and then separate when things don’t work out.

“Marriage is all about a bit of give and take. We have little arguments, everyone does, we’re normal. I think it’s too easy these days to get married and then get divorced if things don’t go right,” she said.

“You have to put up with things, life’s not always a bed of roses, you give and take and go along with it. Ron was always a hard worker, he worked, and I looked after the children.”

June said amongst her husband’s endearing traits is a caring nature.

“He’s very caring, and he does a lot for me. I have trouble with my walking, he’s very good like that,” she said.

For Ron the key to a successful marriage is the fact that across the decades they’ve worked as a team, in both partnership and parenting.

“It’s a wonderful experience. We help one another, we work together – we have our little arguments like everybody. We don’t always like the same things naturally enough there’s always a difference of opinion but basically we get along,” he said.

From dancing at the Charleston together on a Friday and Saturday night during the 1950s to nursing one another through lung and breast cancer, the Blaineys have been by one another’s side.

“I couldn’t imagine life without him. Even though we’ve slowed down I still see Ron as the young athletic man I fell in love with, we’re joined together.”