{Mom & Dad's 65th Wedding Anniversary}

As mentioned in my previous post, we did go for a very special reason to The Netherlands, this 64th trip for family and friends.

 It was my dear Parents' 65th  Wedding Anniversary!

My siblings had decorated the front door prior to an official visit by the Mayor.

Here Mom & Dad enjoy a serenade by the elderly choir 'Levensvreugd' or Life's Joy in English.

Mom has been singing with them for some 30 years and Dad joined at a much later time.

Mom filled the void of my Paternal Grandmother's soprano voice...

This photo I took on the day of celebration with the entire family of 51 present.

My husband Pieter is looking on, behind Mom & Dad.

Since this is such a rare occasion, my Parents did receive some Royal Mail...

From the King and Queen of The Netherlands...

Also from the King's Commissioner of the Province of Limburg...

Such an embossed seal is quite impressive!

We all together celebrated this remarkable and very rare milestone of a 65th Wedding Anniversary.

A Blissful Relationship with its usual ups and downs.

Even the day after the celebration with dinner in the restaurant, Mom & Dad had a special Mass at Church to say thanks for God's Blessings for such a long Marriage together.

Heeroom, my Great-Uncle Priest, did bless my Parents' marriage, when he was on leave from his mission in Indonesia.

This photo above and below is taken right after Mass with Mom & Dad.

Funny that Mother and Daughter did wear the same colors...

This would be the VERY LAST TIME with Mom together (alive)!

Both in Royal Blue!

St. Lambertus Church in Horst

Our German Son and family did pay Mom & Dad a visit with a large basket of regional foods from the Eifel area.

Below I show you some Dutch Government statistics about the approx. 7% of marriages that will last 60 years or more, as of 2001.



 Almost 14,000 of the entire population of some 16.7 million reached 60 or more years of marriage.

Over 200 couples reached 70 years or more... so there is still hope from Mom & Dad!

Below you see that it did drop for 2010 to only 6,000 couples that reached 60 or more...
Image is from Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek
Image below is also from page 68 in Pdf from CBS

Very proud of both my Parents!

They do belong to a very rare group of couples that stayed married for 65 years together.

Quite some role models - through thick and thin...

The fruits of a simple lifestyle and hard work together!

Related link:

{March 14, Written Life Message for me by my Favorite Great-Uncle} | previous post by me