{"id":57953,"date":"2022-04-07T12:40:38","date_gmt":"2022-04-07T10:40:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/perseverance-key-to-long-marriage-20220406-2\/"},"modified":"2025-03-20T19:36:53","modified_gmt":"2025-03-20T17:36:53","slug":"perseverance-key-to-long-marriage-20220406-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/perseverance-key-to-long-marriage-20220406-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Perseverance key to long marriage"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div contenteditable=\"false\" data-embed24=\"Images\" data-pos=\"left\" id=\"embed_b71edef3\">\n<div class=\"slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" data-smallsrc=\"https:\/\/cdn.24.co.za\/files\/Cms\/General\/d\/2242\/87f30566482941ebbee9a763ab3130f0.jpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/vistanews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/e8914bd8867d49c48229823d23ec9baf.jpeg\" title=\"Fanie and Sheila van der Merwe were married 60 years ago in the Trinity Methodist Church in Bloemfontein.Photo: Supplied\"><p><\/p>\n<div class=\"caption\">Fanie and Sheila van der Merwe were married 60 years ago in the Trinity Methodist Church in Bloemfontein.Photo: Supplied<\/div>\n<div class=\"img_accreditation\"><span class=\"source\" style=\"display:none;\"><\/span><span class=\"photographer\" style=\"display:none;\"><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>A well-known couple from Welkom will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fanie (86) and Sheila (83) van der Merwe were married on 7 April 1962 in the Trinity Methodist Church in Bloemfontein.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When she first saw Fanie at a party more than 60 years ago, it was love at first sight for Sheila. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHe was a dark, handsome man,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhen we first spoke, I thought Fanie was a foreigner.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fanie, an avid rugby player and cricketer, attended the Paarl Boys\u2019 High School and Rhodes University. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He became a medical rep when he was unable to complete his pharmacy degree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMany of the older nurses, doctors and pharmacists will remember my dad from his days of working at the pharmacy in the Welkom Hospital,\u201d says Tanya Parsons, their daughter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The couple relocated to Welkom in 1969 to start their business Welkom Car Plates &amp; Signs. Sheila also opened the very first gift shop in Welkom. The Red Rooster was situated in Bok Street.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMany years later my parents started Frame-It Studio, and let\u2019s not forget the Fun in the Sun flea market my mom hosted in her huge garden at 288 Stateway,\u201d says Tanya.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sheila and Fanie are now retired in the city that welcomed them with open arms in 1969. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They have four children: Tanya, married to Basil Parsons; Nadine Bothma; Adrian van der Merwe; and Charles van der Merwe, married to Antoinette Ferreira. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sheila and Fanie are also the proud grandparents of three granddaughters. Courtney Parsons is a final-year Fine Arts student, Ashley Bothma is a cake baker and Zoe van der Merwe is enjoying her gap year before studying fashion design. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAll three girls are arty like their gran,\u201d says Tanya.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sheila and Fanie believe the secret to a long marriage is taking the good with the bad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cDon\u2019t give up \u2013 nobody said it was going to be easy,\u201d they say. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe young people of today don\u2019t persevere and give up too quickly.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A well-known couple from Welkom will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary 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