A retired police officer and his dance instructor wife have celebrated half a century of married life together with a celebratory meal at Amberley Hall Care Home.
“We met when he was going to the tennis club dance and needed lessons,” said Karen Wills, 73. “He wanted me to teach him but to this day he still can’t dance.”
“I did ballroom dancing, back then it wasn’t fashionable like it is today.”
The pair may not have been equal in the world of dance, but they had a mutual affection for one another and soon fell in love.
They have had a happy marriage with Tony, 76, working for Greater Manchester Police until his retirement in 2000.
The couple have two grown up daughters who had moved away from home and with no ties to Manchester they decided to relocate to Norfolk, seeking out the rural ideal.
“We went looking along the Norfolk coast but there was no industry, no office blocks like we were used to. We thought it might be a bit too different.”
Instead they found their dream cottage in Dersingham and made the move south.
Karen explained that they have made Norfolk their home and have adored living in their cottage.
However, when Tony fell ill while undergoing chemotherapy, doctors stressed he needed a little more support and would benefit from rehabilitation care once he was discharged from hospital.
“Someone recommended Amberley Hall so I came and had a look while he was in hospital. I was pleasantly surprised by the warmth and the welcome, it was like a hotel.”
“We had so much going on that we hadn’t thought about celebrating our Golden wedding, then a couple of days before Tony had a really good session with the occupational therapist and was suddenly feeling so much better.”
Keen to mark the occasion and celebrate the couple’s devotion to one another, the team on the Regency community at Amberley Hall swung into action.
“We are so lucky to have had them there, they got everything together for a meal for us and our guests, decorated the room and made it the celebration better than we ever could have imagined.
“Everyone who came along agreed they could see a huge improvement in Tony after three weeks of rehabilitation.”
So what is the secret to 50 years of married bliss? “There is no secret,” said Karen. “Every couple gets to a crossroad in their relationship and you have to decide which way to go.
“When times get hard, you have to decide what is worth fighting for.”
At Athena Care Homes we want to make a difference to the lives of our residents and their loved ones, and allow them to celebrate moments like this together.
If you have a loved one living with us and want to mark an occasion together please speak to the admin team in Reception and discuss your plans. We can provide rooms for parties, cater for your events and support with decorations and entertainment, allowing you to relax and enjoy the festivities together.
