A well-known couple from Welkom will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary today.
Fanie (86) and Sheila (83) van der Merwe were married on 7 April 1962 in the Trinity Methodist Church in Bloemfontein.
When she first saw Fanie at a party more than 60 years ago, it was love at first sight for Sheila.
“He was a dark, handsome man,” she says.
“When we first spoke, I thought Fanie was a foreigner.”
Fanie, an avid rugby player and cricketer, attended the Paarl Boys’ High School and Rhodes University.
He became a medical rep when he was unable to complete his pharmacy degree.
“Many of the older nurses, doctors and pharmacists will remember my dad from his days of working at the pharmacy in the Welkom Hospital,” says Tanya Parsons, their daughter.
The couple relocated to Welkom in 1969 to start their business Welkom Car Plates & Signs. Sheila also opened the very first gift shop in Welkom. The Red Rooster was situated in Bok Street.
“Many years later my parents started Frame-It Studio, and let’s not forget the Fun in the Sun flea market my mom hosted in her huge garden at 288 Stateway,” says Tanya.
Sheila and Fanie are now retired in the city that welcomed them with open arms in 1969.
They have four children: Tanya, married to Basil Parsons; Nadine Bothma; Adrian van der Merwe; and Charles van der Merwe, married to Antoinette Ferreira.
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.
“All three girls are arty like their gran,” says Tanya.
Sheila and Fanie believe the secret to a long marriage is taking the good with the bad.
“Don’t give up – nobody said it was going to be easy,” they say.
“The young people of today don’t persevere and give up too quickly.”
