Thursday 10 November was a special day on the calendar for David and Norrie Cook, who celebrated 50 years of marriage.
The couple tied the knot in their early 20s at St Mary’s Church in Dandenong in 1972 – a significant location in the narrative of their time together, as it was where they first met as 18 and 17-year-olds respectively.
“That was the main attraction of going to mass on a Sunday,” Norrie recalled.
It took a helping hand from David’s mum to get the ball rolling, but since then they haven’t looked back.
“David’s mum hinted to my mum that David might be interested in me,” Norrie said.
“She was worried I was too tall for him.”
The former hairdresser and business owner raised five children – Shane, Loretta, Alison, Bridget, and Tesse – who have blessed them with 13 grandchildren, however one sadly passed away earlier this year.
Over the years the family enjoyed plenty of time outdoors, with camping trips, visits to Mildura and holidays to the snow regular occasions on the family calendar.
So strong is their love for the Sunraysia region that it quickly became an annual tradition, and has grown to include the extended family for a proper summer celebration, beginning on Boxing Day and lasting into the new year.
“We used to camp but we moved from a tent to caravan and now to a resort,” Ms Cook said.
1972 was a massive year for the family. Not only did they walk down the aisle, but David was in the second year of a historic three-peat during a dominant era for the Pakenham Lions.
But what was more stressful for the midfielder; preparing for a Grand Final or preparing to tie the knot?
“For me, it was the Grand Final,” David said.
Norrie couldn’t help but agree.
“I don’t think he had much to do with the planning.”
The two threw themselves wholeheartedly into all kinds of local sports and committees, and attribute their long-lasting marriage to their desire for involvement, along with having the ability to accept one-another’s faults and being tolerant of each other’s mistakes.
Now living in Tooradin, David is a life member at the Tooradin sports club, and is a committee member at the Cranbourne Turf Club, where they attended the Cranbourne Cup on Saturday.
For the Cooks, the more things change, the more they stay the same.
“We still love the same things that we did when we got married,” Norrie said.
