They met as teenagers at Muswellbrook High School in 1959.
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And, on Saturday, October 14, Paul and Joy Wilton will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.
After knowing of each other for three or four years, the pair became an item.
“I got work and then I got called into the Army for two years,” Mr Wilton said.
“We got engaged before I went overseas, and then we got married about three weeks after I got discharged.
”We were married St Alban’s [Anglican Church].”
Mr and Mrs Wilton were born in Muswellbrook and Scone respectively.
“We’ve lived in Muswellbrook all our lives,” Mr Wilton said.
“I had various jobs around town, and then I eventually got into the mines and was there for 30 years.
“We bought a house down in Mitchell Street – it cost us $13,000.
“Interest rates then were 17 per cent.”
The Wiltons paid off their house, and renovated it to accommodate for their growing family.
They welcomed new family member Angela, now a mother of two in Yarrawa; followed by Fiona, who now has three boys and lives in Muswellbrook.
“Then later on, when the money position improved, we bought [our current home],” Mr Wilton said.
“We moved up here and then, within 18 months, both our girls were married and gone.”
Mrs Wilton said she believed the secret to a long marriage was a lot of “give and take”.
“I guess that’s what it is,” her husband agreed.
“You’re busy working and trying to make money to get yourself a nice home and get yourself set up for the rest of your life.
“And, that’s what we’ve done.
“We were careful with our money, and now we’ve reaped the benefits – we’ve been all over the world.”
Over the past 20 years, the Wiltons have travelled the globe together, visiting a variety of countries, including Canada, the USA, China, Egypt, and Russia.
“We always wanted to have a look around, so we’ve made that one of our priorities,” Mr Wilton said.
“There’s not many countries we haven’t been to.”
As well as their travels in recent years, they have enjoyed watching their grandchildren grow up.
“We’re proud of everything they do,” Mr Wilton said.
“They’ve all done really well – in sport, and their academic careers so far.”