3 days ago
Meet Delma and Frank, they've been married for 80 years
80 YEARS is a milestone most marriages never reach, but the love between Delma Earsman and Francis 'Frank' Murray has always been special.
Their bond has blossomed over eight decades. It's the kind of love that makes your heart flutter and fills you with warmth.
This week the Newcastle couple, Australia's longest-living married couple, celebrated 80 years in wedlock.
Frank said he first laid eyes on Del, as he affectionately calls her, when he was 17 at a friend's birthday party. Delma was 16.
"We used to go dancing on a Saturday night and got to know each other. But I was also playing football and I got hurt and had to go to the hospital," he said.
"The fellows I used to play with said to Del, 'Your boyfriend's in the hospital'. She didn't know I was the boyfriend at the time. But she came down and said hello."
When Frank was 18, he was enlisted to go to war as part of the 6th Machine Gun Battalion, and stationed in Papua New Guinea.
"I had to get leave to come and see her, and then we decided we'd get married," he said.
Frank went back to the army and then took absence without leave. He wanted to be with Delma.
"I managed to come all the way back to Newcastle by horse and cart, trucks and whatever to get home to Del," he said.
But then he was called to go back.
"After I finished my time, we started our married life," he said.
The lovebirds were wed on June 16, 1945, at St Mark's Church of England, Islington. They became Mr and Mrs Murray.
Delma wore an embroidered train. Her veil was arranged with hyacinths and camellias, while she carried a bouquet of roses.
The couple's reception was held at the All Saints Hall in Tighes Hill, and Delma said she felt lucky to have a wedding during wartime.
"I don't think we had a hot meal. I think we had sandwiches. I don't even remember having a cake. But I was lucky to get the wedding, the wedding dress, the veil and the church," she said.
"I was just happy to have a little something."
As time went on, Frank and Delma travelled and enjoyed life together.
"We had a good time, a good life. We used to go on holidays. We went to England, Hong Kong, New Zealand, and a few other places," Frank said.
"But mostly it was just an ordinary married life."
They welcomed two daughters, Sandra and Joy, for whom Delma stayed home to care while enjoying cooking, sewing and arts and crafts.
Frank worked as a motor mechanic while repairing lawnmowers on the side. The pair would also go to church every Sunday.
And as a typical Aussie bloke, Frank said he liked to head to the pub, with Delma's permission, of course.
"I used to like the race horses, and I used to go down to the TAB, and she'd let me go have a couple of bevs," he said.
Delma is now 101, and Frank is 102 years old.
They have five grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren and have been living in a nursing home for the past 18 months.
"We don't do much. We just sit down and talk about old times and all that sort of business," Frank said,
"But yeah, it's good. I couldn't do without Del," he said.
When asked what the secret to a long marriage is, Delma said you've got to have tolerance.
"You know it's half and half, you can't have it your own way. I think anyhow. It's been like that with us all the while. You need patience," she said.
"You're going to choose to be with them. You're very lucky if you get the right one."
Frank said, looking back, time had flown.
"I'm telling ya, time goes that quick, you don't realise. So if you're gonna do anything, do it. Don't say I'll do it next year, that's not right. Just do it," he said.
"Even now I can't realise that I'm over 100, and here we are."
The couple celebrated their anniversary with their nursing home community, a delicious cake, and lunch with family.
80 YEARS is a milestone most marriages never reach, but the love between Delma Earsman and Francis 'Frank' Murray has always been special.
Their bond has blossomed over eight decades. It's the kind of love that makes your heart flutter and fills you with warmth.
This week the Newcastle couple, Australia's longest-living married couple, celebrated 80 years in wedlock.
Frank said he first laid eyes on Del, as he affectionately calls her, when he was 17 at a friend's birthday party. Delma was 16.
"We used to go dancing on a Saturday night and got to know each other. But I was also playing football and I got hurt and had to go to the hospital," he said.
"The fellows I used to play with said to Del, 'Your boyfriend's in the hospital'. She didn't know I was the boyfriend at the time. But she came down and said hello."
When Frank was 18, he was enlisted to go to war as part of the 6th Machine Gun Battalion, and stationed in Papua New Guinea.
"I had to get leave to come and see her, and then we decided we'd get married," he said.
Frank went back to the army and then took absence without leave. He wanted to be with Delma.
"I managed to come all the way back to Newcastle by horse and cart, trucks and whatever to get home to Del," he said.
But then he was called to go back.
"After I finished my time, we started our married life," he said.
The lovebirds were wed on June 16, 1945, at St Mark's Church of England, Islington. They became Mr and Mrs Murray.
Delma wore an embroidered train. Her veil was arranged with hyacinths and camellias, while she carried a bouquet of roses.
The couple's reception was held at the All Saints Hall in Tighes Hill, and Delma said she felt lucky to have a wedding during wartime.
"I don't think we had a hot meal. I think we had sandwiches. I don't even remember having a cake. But I was lucky to get the wedding, the wedding dress, the veil and the church," she said.
"I was just happy to have a little something."
As time went on, Frank and Delma travelled and enjoyed life together.
"We had a good time, a good life. We used to go on holidays. We went to England, Hong Kong, New Zealand, and a few other places," Frank said.
"But mostly it was just an ordinary married life."
They welcomed two daughters, Sandra and Joy, for whom Delma stayed home to care while enjoying cooking, sewing and arts and crafts.
Frank worked as a motor mechanic while repairing lawnmowers on the side. The pair would also go to church every Sunday.
And as a typical Aussie bloke, Frank said he liked to head to the pub, with Delma's permission, of course.
"I used to like the race horses, and I used to go down to the TAB, and she'd let me go have a couple of bevs," he said.
Delma is now 101, and Frank is 102 years old.
They have five grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren and have been living in a nursing home for the past 18 months.
"We don't do much. We just sit down and talk about old times and all that sort of business," Frank said,
"But yeah, it's good. I couldn't do without Del," he said.
When asked what the secret to a long marriage is, Delma said you've got to have tolerance.
"You know it's half and half, you can't have it your own way. I think anyhow. It's been like that with us all the while. You need patience," she said.
"You're going to choose to be with them. You're very lucky if you get the right one."
Frank said, looking back, time had flown.
"I'm telling ya, time goes that quick, you don't realise. So if you're gonna do anything, do it. Don't say I'll do it next year, that's not right. Just do it," he said.
"Even now I can't realise that I'm over 100, and here we are."
The couple celebrated their anniversary with their nursing home community, a delicious cake, and lunch with family.
80 YEARS is a milestone most marriages never reach, but the love between Delma Earsman and Francis 'Frank' Murray has always been special.
Their bond has blossomed over eight decades. It's the kind of love that makes your heart flutter and fills you with warmth.
This week the Newcastle couple, Australia's longest-living married couple, celebrated 80 years in wedlock.
Frank said he first laid eyes on Del, as he affectionately calls her, when he was 17 at a friend's birthday party. Delma was 16.
"We used to go dancing on a Saturday night and got to know each other. But I was also playing football and I got hurt and had to go to the hospital," he said.
"The fellows I used to play with said to Del, 'Your boyfriend's in the hospital'. She didn't know I was the boyfriend at the time. But she came down and said hello."
When Frank was 18, he was enlisted to go to war as part of the 6th Machine Gun Battalion, and stationed in Papua New Guinea.
"I had to get leave to come and see her, and then we decided we'd get married," he said.
Frank went back to the army and then took absence without leave. He wanted to be with Delma.
"I managed to come all the way back to Newcastle by horse and cart, trucks and whatever to get home to Del," he said.
But then he was called to go back.
"After I finished my time, we started our married life," he said.
The lovebirds were wed on June 16, 1945, at St Mark's Church of England, Islington. They became Mr and Mrs Murray.
Delma wore an embroidered train. Her veil was arranged with hyacinths and camellias, while she carried a bouquet of roses.
The couple's reception was held at the All Saints Hall in Tighes Hill, and Delma said she felt lucky to have a wedding during wartime.
"I don't think we had a hot meal. I think we had sandwiches. I don't even remember having a cake. But I was lucky to get the wedding, the wedding dress, the veil and the church," she said.
"I was just happy to have a little something."
As time went on, Frank and Delma travelled and enjoyed life together.
"We had a good time, a good life. We used to go on holidays. We went to England, Hong Kong, New Zealand, and a few other places," Frank said.
"But mostly it was just an ordinary married life."
They welcomed two daughters, Sandra and Joy, for whom Delma stayed home to care while enjoying cooking, sewing and arts and crafts.
Frank worked as a motor mechanic while repairing lawnmowers on the side. The pair would also go to church every Sunday.
And as a typical Aussie bloke, Frank said he liked to head to the pub, with Delma's permission, of course.
"I used to like the race horses, and I used to go down to the TAB, and she'd let me go have a couple of bevs," he said.
Delma is now 101, and Frank is 102 years old.
They have five grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren and have been living in a nursing home for the past 18 months.
"We don't do much. We just sit down and talk about old times and all that sort of business," Frank said,
"But yeah, it's good. I couldn't do without Del," he said.
When asked what the secret to a long marriage is, Delma said you've got to have tolerance.
"You know it's half and half, you can't have it your own way. I think anyhow. It's been like that with us all the while. You need patience," she said.
"You're going to choose to be with them. You're very lucky if you get the right one."
Frank said, looking back, time had flown.
"I'm telling ya, time goes that quick, you don't realise. So if you're gonna do anything, do it. Don't say I'll do it next year, that's not right. Just do it," he said.
"Even now I can't realise that I'm over 100, and here we are."
The couple celebrated their anniversary with their nursing home community, a delicious cake, and lunch with family.
80 YEARS is a milestone most marriages never reach, but the love between Delma Earsman and Francis 'Frank' Murray has always been special.
Their bond has blossomed over eight decades. It's the kind of love that makes your heart flutter and fills you with warmth.
This week the Newcastle couple, Australia's longest-living married couple, celebrated 80 years in wedlock.
Frank said he first laid eyes on Del, as he affectionately calls her, when he was 17 at a friend's birthday party. Delma was 16.
"We used to go dancing on a Saturday night and got to know each other. But I was also playing football and I got hurt and had to go to the hospital," he said.
"The fellows I used to play with said to Del, 'Your boyfriend's in the hospital'. She didn't know I was the boyfriend at the time. But she came down and said hello."
When Frank was 18, he was enlisted to go to war as part of the 6th Machine Gun Battalion, and stationed in Papua New Guinea.
"I had to get leave to come and see her, and then we decided we'd get married," he said.
Frank went back to the army and then took absence without leave. He wanted to be with Delma.
"I managed to come all the way back to Newcastle by horse and cart, trucks and whatever to get home to Del," he said.
But then he was called to go back.
"After I finished my time, we started our married life," he said.
The lovebirds were wed on June 16, 1945, at St Mark's Church of England, Islington. They became Mr and Mrs Murray.
Delma wore an embroidered train. Her veil was arranged with hyacinths and camellias, while she carried a bouquet of roses.
The couple's reception was held at the All Saints Hall in Tighes Hill, and Delma said she felt lucky to have a wedding during wartime.
"I don't think we had a hot meal. I think we had sandwiches. I don't even remember having a cake. But I was lucky to get the wedding, the wedding dress, the veil and the church," she said.
"I was just happy to have a little something."
As time went on, Frank and Delma travelled and enjoyed life together.
"We had a good time, a good life. We used to go on holidays. We went to England, Hong Kong, New Zealand, and a few other places," Frank said.
"But mostly it was just an ordinary married life."
They welcomed two daughters, Sandra and Joy, for whom Delma stayed home to care while enjoying cooking, sewing and arts and crafts.
Frank worked as a motor mechanic while repairing lawnmowers on the side. The pair would also go to church every Sunday.
And as a typical Aussie bloke, Frank said he liked to head to the pub, with Delma's permission, of course.
"I used to like the race horses, and I used to go down to the TAB, and she'd let me go have a couple of bevs," he said.
Delma is now 101, and Frank is 102 years old.
They have five grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren and have been living in a nursing home for the past 18 months.
"We don't do much. We just sit down and talk about old times and all that sort of business," Frank said,
"But yeah, it's good. I couldn't do without Del," he said.
When asked what the secret to a long marriage is, Delma said you've got to have tolerance.
"You know it's half and half, you can't have it your own way. I think anyhow. It's been like that with us all the while. You need patience," she said.
"You're going to choose to be with them. You're very lucky if you get the right one."
Frank said, looking back, time had flown.
"I'm telling ya, time goes that quick, you don't realise. So if you're gonna do anything, do it. Don't say I'll do it next year, that's not right. Just do it," he said.
"Even now I can't realise that I'm over 100, and here we are."
The couple celebrated their anniversary with their nursing home community, a delicious cake, and lunch with family.
