Jim and Betty Cooper celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary on 17 April at their home in Bundaberg with well wishes from their family, including their 102 grandchildren.
The couple, who have lived in the region for the past 22 years, also received a visit from Bundaberg Mayor Helen Blackburn to congratulate them on the significant milestone.
Jim laughed as he remembered how their wedded life got started.
“When I came out of the church and Betty and I had married, they were all taking photos of us as we came out and I heard these two old biddies who always used to came to the weddings say, ‘It won’t last you know’,” Jim said.
“And you know a lot of them didn’t but we did!” Betty agreed.
The couple were both born in Nanango and met when they were ‘wagging' school one day.
“We were friends and we would all meet,” Jim said.
“Instead of going to school we knicked down to the swamp for the day.”
The couple later married when Betty was 18 and Jim was 21 and went on to have eight children, 28 grandchildren, 62 great grandchildren and 12 great great grandchildren.
Jim worked in forestry and as a mill attendant while Betty took care of the household.
“We had eight children and by the time I got there I never worked because I was babysitting my grandchildren,” Betty said.
“We’ve had all the children around and plenty of entertainment!”
Jim and Betty now spend their days enjoying time with their grandchildren.
When asked what the secret was to so many years of happy marriage, Betty said that while they did have the occasional argument, it was usually about the kids.
“You just stick together no matter what goes,” she said smiling.
“We were always happy.”
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