Joy and Les Jones celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary on Tuesday, July 14.
Photo by
Bree Lambert
Decades after Kyabram couple Les and Joy Jones said “I do” on July 14, 1956, they remain side by side, celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary.
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The couple’s story began in the early 1950s, when Mrs Jones was 16 and Mr Jones was 17.
They met through square dancing, which was popular across Australia at the time.
“The boys, we used to have nice green frilly shirts, and the girls were all done up in their big skirts,” Mr Jones said.
They became the champion square dancers of Kyabram Town Hall, and earned second place in the Goulburn Valley competition, winning a silver plate.
Mrs Jones said they went square dancing together for three years before they got engaged and married six months later.
Their married life began with an adventure, as the newlyweds navigated floodwaters through Tatura and Seymour on their four-day honeymoon, a fitting start for a couple who would never shy away from the road ahead.
Les and Joy Jones said “I do” seven decades ago.
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Supplied
The couple lived in a caravan for four months, in Mrs Jones’ parents’ backyard, before they bought their first home on Breen Ave.
Together, they raised three children, Debra, Carol and Chris.
Today, their family has grown to include eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren spread across Australia.
The early years were built on hard work and determination, as Mr Jones juggled seven part-time jobs at once, while Mrs Jones raised their three children.
He picked fruit and carted hay, before dedicating 38 years to the Postmaster-General’s Department, later known as Telecom and Telstra.
After their three children came along, the couple bought a block of land in Andrews Ct where they built a house and lived for 58 years.
Over the years, the couple shared a passion for travel, spending 23 years exploring the Australian outback in a caravan.
“We love the outback,” Mr Jones said.
“We’ve done Norfolk Island, Kangaroo Island, New Zealand and Tassie about three times.”
Joy and Les Jones, pictured in July 2024.
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Contributed
For the past 15 years, Mr and Mrs Jones have called Warramunda Village home, where they have “had good times”.
“We’re happy here … we get up, we smile, we think positive,” Mr Jones said.
Seven decades into their marriage, the couple’s love for one another is stronger than ever.
“When we get up, we take all the pills and I say to Joy, do you still love me?” Mr Jones said.
“Put your teeth in, your hearing aids on, and I’ll think about it,” Mrs Jones said.
Today, as they have done for seven decades, Mr and Mrs Jones will mark the occasion the way they do most things, by enjoying each other’s company and sharing a meal together.
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