By Casey Neill
Allan and Gloria Coggins have shared their lives for more than 60 years, but share different views on what has kept them together.
Gloria said patience, working with your family and taking things as they come had helped to keep their six-decade union in good shape.
Allan had another take on the key to staying together.
“Least said, soonest mended,” he laughed.
The Keysborough couple celebrated their diamond anniversary on Thursday 26 October with a dinner at Dandenong Pavilion with their family.
They tied the knot at St George’s Presbyterian Church in Chapel Street, East St Kilda, in 1957.
“Everything went off perfectly. The weather was fine and we had a great time,” Gloria said.
The reception was at The New Alexandra.
“It was quite pricey and my father even offered Allan to elope,” Gloria laughed.
“I think he was joking. I had two brothers and I was the only girl, you see. I don’t think he would have missed out on that.”
Allan still remembers the first time he laid eyes on Gloria, at a Saturday night dance at St Kilda Town Hall in 1955.
“Allan asked me for a dance, didn’t he,” Gloria said.
“Then he asked me for more dances and then he asked if he could take me home!”
He drove an F100 truck at the time.
“And it just carried on from there,” Gloria said.
They got engaged in 1956 and in 1960 bought their first home, in Noble Park. They moved to Keysborough in 1979.
“It was all market gardens,” Allan said.
Their first son was born in1960, and two more soon followed.
They both agreed that their children were the highlight of their relationship.
“We’re proud of them because they’ve all done well with their jobs and things,” Allan said.
“I don’t think any of them has ever been on the dole, have they?
“They’ve all kept themselves with work.”
Allan worked in the automotive industry, spending 30 years at General Motors after taking a job there “temporarily”.
Gloria worked as a secretary, including a stint at the Journal.
Allan is a life member at Noble Park Little Athletics and the family was also involved in local football and swimming.
