By Ashok Verma
BEING accommodating, considerate and respectful of each other’s wishes have been the guiding principles for well-known Broadford residents Brian and Catherine O’Dwyer.
These are the key factors embedded in their long and happy years together and they readily shared these with family members as they proudly celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary last Friday.
Going down memory lane, they recall meeting on a blind date, having been introduced by mutual friends. That was when Catherine (née Keating) was training to be a nurse at St Vincent’s and Brian was an apprentice builder. They got married at Nar Nar Goon Catholic Church in 1976. Their friends also got married in the same year, and they remains friends to this day.
Broadford has been the couple’s home since 1978.
Brian grew up in the town, and taught at St Mary’s Catholic College, Seymour, for more than 30 years.
Though retired, he has a deep commitment to serve the community, and he remains involved in various local organisations.
Brian is president of the Broadford Residents Action Group. He is also active with the Broadford Men’s Shed and the Broadford Cemetery Trust.
Catherine has spent her working life in the health services field, a link she continues even now. She worked for more than 30 years as a district nurse and post-acute care manager at Seymour Hospital. She continues to volunteer with St Vincent de Paul, supporting older residents in the Broadford and Kilmore areas.
Detailing the secret of their long married life, Brian said: “(It’s) allowing each other to develop our own full potential. Also, having separate interests but common goals. For example, Catherine has travelled more often, while I enjoy woodturning and renovating. In terms of common goals, we are both involved in different ways in our local community and the Catholic church.
“We both enjoy travelling interstate in our caravan, and we love to travel and visit our friends. However, family is the most important thing. In particular, spending time with our large extended families on both sides has been crucial – and this has also had a significant influence on our children and hopefully their views and values.”
Catherine said: “Life was hectic and at times quite chaotic with five children – especially when they were all teenagers, and this presented all sorts of issues and difficulties which we always tried to work out together. We are now retired. Children and grandchildren are all well settled, and life is still busy, but we would not have it any other way.”
The couple’s Catholic faith has been central to their marriage and family life. They have five children — Monica, Bernard, Christopher, Thomas and Erin — and four grandchildren, Oliver, Curtis, Rory and Bridie.
They celebrated the milestone with a quiet family weekend.
