By GEORGIA WESTGARTH
THE Dandenong Journal might not be their local newspaper anymore, but Judith and Keith Bramich make sure they are kept in the loop.
Having grown up in Dandenong, many of the couple’s most treasured memories were made in Doveton and Noble Park where they bought their first home.
Now residing in Wodonga, Keith and Judith met and were wed in Dandenong and are proud to have celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary last year.
“We were married on 15 April 1954 at the Scots Church Dandenong and honeymooned in Healesville.
“Ten years ago I didn’t think we’d even make our 50th because of Keith’s illness – it was very special to celebrate our 60th anniversary together with our family,” Judith said.
Setting eyes on each other at a church dance, Judith was 15 and her husband to be 18 years old.
Judith described her first love interest as tall, dark and handsome with big brown eyes.
“He’s just a kind man, he’s been a very good and kind man – I did well,” she said.
At 82 (Keith) and 79 (Judith) years old, Judith said her number one tip for a long, happy marriage was communication.
“It’s about communication which can be hard – we always communicated very well, but Keith was terribly understanding and patient – he was patient for me, he was the stable one!” she said.
Two children, four grandchildren and seven great grandchildren later, Keith and Judith can show their family two very different but similar photos. “When I was 16 years old Keith was my partner at my debutante, we danced together,” Judith said.
With some prior experience walking his beloved out in a white dress, things didn’t go to plan the second time around.
“It wasn’t the wedding we planned for in August because my parents were moving to Sydney but it was still good – we had to make a lot of quick changes and it was freezing cold but didn’t rain,” she said.
Judith said her published wedding photo in the Dandenong Journal was a nice surprise.
“I didn’t know it was going to be in the Journal, I didn’t initiate it but I was thrilled when I saw it in the paper,” she said.
Still receiving snippets of interest in the post from her sister-in-law, Judith said they would regularly read the Journal and still do.
