In celebration of a true local love story, Stanley and Eole Hopton renewed their wedding vows this weekend after 70 years of marriage.
The pair tied the knot on 4 July 1953 and marked their anniversary with a special service at the Lutheran Church on Saturday afternoon.
It’s not the only celebration for the couple this month as Stanley turns 93 on 12 July.
Describing himself as Bundaberg born and bred, Stanley moved to Gin Gin with his parents when he turned 17 which was where he met Eole Bisson.
He decided to make his move one night when Eole went to the local movie theatre with his sister Anne.
“He comes in and says ‘Can I see you a minute?’” Eole reminisced.
“We went outside and I said ‘Not another bloody Hopton!’.”
That's when Stanley asked if Eole would go out with him and she responded with her typical sense of humour.
“I said ‘Are you barmy?'.”
“That’s just what she said!” laughed Stanley.
The two went on to have many more dates after that but there was one thing that they enjoyed doing the most.
“Dancing,” Eole said.
“I always reckoned I’d get a fella who was five years older than me and could dance!”
The rest, as they say, is history as the two went on to get married, farmed cane in Gin Gin and have two children, Greg and Sandra.
“Two too many sometimes,” joked Eole.
“They’re both still close by, one in Rosedale and one in Gladstone.
“Now we have five grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren, so far!”
The Hoptons still live independently at their home in Bundaberg North and while they can no longer dance because of Stanley’s knee, they enjoy playing bingo and having a laugh together.
They were both unanimous when asked what the secret was to such a long and happy marriage.
“To be mates,” they said.
“We just like being together.”
Other news:
- Horst and Dagmar celebrate 70th anniversary
- National Veteran Motorcycle Rally revs into town
- Koda waiting for his forever family
not another bloody hopton? well done stan & eole.
i meet with another bloody hopton in sydney a few days back.
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