AS THE Wilson family reflect on love and loss, they too celebrate marriage and devotion.
Reg and Phyllis Wilson were married on July 4, 1959, at the Church of England in Wonthaggi; devoting themselves to one another and sharing a life in the old mining town where they still reside today.
As they celebrate 64 years of marriage, Phyllis shared their past as she pondered on how they met some 70 years ago, before Reg first asked for her hand.
“We shared friends back when Reg lived in Kilcunda, and after we married, we moved to a property in Wonthaggi where Reg worked in the mines, and I in a feather factory, I too was the supervisor in the blanket department where I worked for many years.”
“Once the mines closed, Reg become a carpenter and built our very own family home in Wonthaggi, where we still live today.”
Before long Reg and Phyllis welcomed three beautiful children, two sons and a daughter; together they enjoyed travelling Australia, camping in their caravan, and spending their days down at back beach , where they reflected on visiting for 30 plus years.
“We loved sharing these memories with the kids,” said Phyllis.
Together Reg and Phyllis too enjoyed dancing and sharing quality time as husband and wife; the special quiet time that they continue to share together today in their retired years.
“We still live in the home that Reg built for the family in Wonthaggi, and I love the whole place and we will never leave this town,” said Phyllis.
As well as our children Liesa, Paul and Garry, and daughter-in-law Judi, we’ve been blessed with six grandchildren and six great grandchildren, with one on the way.
Throughout their life, Reg and Phyllis saw more loss than many could imagine facing, losing their beloved daughter Liesa Wilson at just 19 years old, their adored grandson Mason Wilson at just 5 years old, and their dear son Paul Wilson at 42 years old.
There isn’t a day that goes by that these family members are not in thought, and during the celebration of 64 years of marriage with a family luncheon on Saturday, Reg and Phyllis with the support of their extended family reflect on their journey and always reminisce on their loved ones.
Processing these experiences and emotions were deeply troubling for the Wilson family, but the love in Phyllis and Reg’s marriage helped them through the confusing, frustrating, and painful aspects of their life.
An inspiration to their family; their love conquered all, and Phyllis described this as “the sad times in their good marriage.”
‘We had to support each other through everything as we faced the hardest times that brought so much sadness.”
During these years of loss, together Phyllis and Reg remained open and vulnerable with one another enabling them to “stick together and work together,” said Phyllis.
