MUSWELLBROOK couple Robert and Carolyn Stewart will acknowledge an impressive milestone on Saturday – their 50th wedding anniversary.
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So, it gives a whole new meaning to Remembrance Day.
The pair was married at St Peter Chanel Catholic Church at Berala in Sydney on November 11, 1967.
They have four children – Karen (who lives in Sydney), Johanne (Millthorpe), Natalie (Newcastle) and Anthony (Parkes) – and five grandchildren; three in Sydney, one in Newcastle and another in Chicago.
But, Muswellbrook is definitely their home.
“We moved to Muswellbrook in 1970 with the intention of staying 12 months – and then moving to the Central Coast,” said Mr Stewart, who is also known as “Bob”.
“Needless to say, we are still here.
“I was in human resources with the power industry and Carolyn originally managed Muswellbrook Marketplace.
“When it changed owners, she was employed as the receptionist at the [Muswellbrook] RSL Club.
“I’ve been involved in junior league, cricket and athletics in town and was an active member of the Muswellbrook Amateur Swimming Club.
“On top of that, I held the [Muswellbrook] RSL Club treasurer and president’s role for about 15 years.”
The Stewarts will enjoy a quiet dinner at Gerards, at Denman, to celebrate the occasion this weekend.
But, there are plans to make it a family affair in the near future.
“Our daughter Natalie is in New York at the moment ready to run in the New York City marathon for a charity called Shoe4Africa, accompanied by her brother Anthony,” Mr Stewart said.
“Her sister Johanne is in the process of moving to Hervey Bay while our other daughter Karen isn’t well.
“We will all catch up when the two return from overseas.”
Mr Stewart said there many highlights over the past five decades.
“Probably the biggest was our tour of the continent in 2000,” he recalled.
“At the conclusion, we spent two weeks in the south of Italy at Salerno where we had been invited to a wedding.
“It was an interesting time – a 13-course menu, a couple of hundred guests with not too many comprehending English.
“Our grandchildren keep us on our toes, too.
“The eldest grandson won the Stan McCabe medal for cricket at Joeys (Hunters Hill) and spent a season in England.
“I had a few weeks over there with him.
“While there have been some dark and gloomy times during the 50 years, it always turned out bright and sunny.”
