MARION and Les Retschlag will be celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary next week with their family and friends.

The couple who are known to their children as loving and caring have shared many memorable moments and occasions over their 60 years of marriage and are looking forward to their anniversary on Thursday, March 3.

The couple are local to the core as Marion grew up in Marburg and is eldest of seven children; Les is the youngest of six children and grew up in Haigslea.

Sharing a common interest in dances such as the Gypsy Tap and the Pride of Erin, they attended the Marburg dance with their families which is where they met.

Les invited Marion on their first date to his family farm where they picked corn together, an experience that Marion says was a first for her.

Before too long they realised that they shared many common interests and enjoyed each other’s company which led to their marriage in the Marburg Anglican Church on March 3, 1962.

They were surrounded by family and friends on their wedding day before they set off to Sydney to enjoy their honeymoon.

Les worked in the mines at Marburg before the couple moved to Tivoli and bought a butcher shop business.

Marion managed the bookkeeping, banking and deliveries while Les ran the meat and butchering side.

After 12 successful years they decided it was time for a change, so Les went to work in the Dinmore meatworks, then at the mines in Ipswich before his retirement.

The couple are the parents of Brett, Janine and Kylie and are a close knit family.

Over the years the family grew with the addition of five grandchildren, Marion describes seeing her family growing as a very enjoyable time especially at annual celebrations such as birthday parties and Christmas.

A favourite pastime was greyhound racing and the couple have travelled throughout Ipswich, Brisbane and New South Wales, entering their dogs in many races and cheered them on to the finish line.

They are still very active and enjoy helping their neighbours and socialising.

Marion is an avid quilter and is currently making charity quilts for the parents of premature and stillborn babies.

She has also entered in and judged at many local shows including Ipswich and Rosewood in the needlework and quilting sections.

Sharing many highlights in life, they have travelled abroad to places such as Britain, America, France, Italy and Germany.

And best of all after 60 years together, they are best friends and are still very much in love.