A wonderful Wishaw couple who have been around the world are celebrating 50 years of married life.
Kenny Campbell was a friend of one of Maureen Reynolds’ brothers, which led to them getting together in 1969.
Kenny, who is 72, lived in Netherton and Maureen, 69, was from Pather.
Around two years later they got engaged and were married on June 17, 1972 at St Thomas’ RC Church in Pather. They would later receive a blessing at the former Thornlie Parish Church.
The newlyweds lived at Kenny’s mum’s house for a few months before getting the keys to their first home in Gowkthrapple. Despite the property being in the area’s fairly recently built tower blocks, any thoughts of gazing into the distance were quickly dispelled.
“We got a council house in one of the towers but we were on the first floor so we didn’t have much of a view,” Maureen recalled. “But we had great friends and neighbours. It was a great time.”
Two years after they wed the couple welcomed their son Brian into the world, three years later the family was complete when daughter Louise arrived.
“We were in Gowkthrapple for 13 or 14 years, then moved to Inglis Street in Netherton and we’ve been here ever since,” Maureen continued. “It looks on to the park so it was ideal. Our son was 12 when we moved down here. We wanted an extra bedroom and more space with a garden. We enjoy doing the garden.”
Kenny and Maureen have five grandchildren, Sarah, Sophie, Daniel, Rachel and Jamie, who are all aged between 19 and 24 years old and are close-knit cousins who, according to Maureen, have “always been great friends”.
Kenny worked all his days as an electrician, mainly at Netherton firm, Weir and McQuiston, up until retirement age, while Maureen worked as a finance assistant in the schools, based at Clyde Valley.
In his leisure time Kenny enjoyed playing snooker but Maureen joked he was never good enough to make a clean break from work and take it up professionally.
Before lockdown they would go for a dance down at the Houldsworth and Beltane clubs.
Maureen admits she is a “bit more talkative” than Kenny who is quite “quiet-natured”.
Nowadays, apart from tending to their garden and relaxing at home, Kenny and Maureen like to meet with friends occasionally to enjoy a meal.
They do love a holiday and have been to some far-flung places.
“We’re just back from Cyprus which was great", said Maureen.
“Kenny isn’t great at walking these days so we got assistance at the airport, We’ve missed going away the last few years.
“We’ve been all over the world, when we retired we went to Australia and New Zealand. We did a cruise from Sydney right around New Zealand. My friend’s son lives in New Zealand, they were there visiting when we went so we met up with them and our niece lives in Melbourne as well. It was a great holiday.
"We’ve also been to Canada and the Rocky Mountains but I don’t think we’ll do any more long haul trips. We just go and sit in the sun now.”
The pair mostly see eye-to-eye but have a slight difference of opinion on the key to a long happy marriage.
Kenny joked: “The secret to it is being right all the time”.
Maureen responded: “He just thinks he’s right all the time."
“You need to come and go with each other and consider each other," she added. "We don’t do anything big without consulting each other.”
To celebrate their Golden Wedding Anniversary the family and some close friends went for a meal, with daughter Louise hosting an after-party.
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