Local couple Malcolm and Jennifer Olsson were just twelve years-old when they met for the first time at the Olsson family home in Harris Park. Jennifer’s family, who lived in West Ryde, were visiting Malcolm’s family and surely enough the two quickly became friends. After six years of courtship and getting to know each other, the love-struck couple married at Ryde Court House on 5th December 1961 – Jennifer then aged seventeen-years old and Malcolm eighteen-years old.
Soon after they were married, the Olsson’s were blessed with the news that they were pregnant with their first child, Rachel, who was born the following September. By the time Rachel was five-years old, there were two new additions to the Olsson family – Ashley and Fiona. However, tragedy struck the young family when their third child, Fiona, aged only sixteen months, passed away after contracting a severe gastro virus. This sudden loss was devastating to the family, but Jennifer and Malcolm found comfort in each other’s love, and that of their children, during this time of great sadness.
After a few years, the couple went on to add to their family and have two more children, Nigel and Lyndon. Fast forward forty-four years later and the Olsson’s now have an extended family of twelve grandchildren and are fortunate to also have eight great-grandchildren.
Throughout their marriage, the Olsson’s have always maintained good friendships and a strong family bond which they believe adds a richness to their marriage. There have been many highlights during their journey through life together, with one of the most recent being seeing their second eldest grandson, Jonathon Milne (Rachel’s son) winning a bronze medal at the 2016 Paralympics in Brazil after breaking his neck in a surfing accident at Avoca Beach at Christmas in 2012. Another recent highlight was an enjoyable two-week cruise with all thirty-four members of the family coming along to share the experience.
Malcolm and Jennifer believe that the key to a happy and healthy marriage is both working hard at their various responsibilities and making every effort to meet each other’s needs both emotionally and physically. Malcolm also adds that it is important to remember how much you were in love the day before and the day of your marriage and learn to be forgiving.
The successful couple celebrated their auspicious 25th wedding anniversary at the Opera House with approximately one hundred and fifty guests and celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary at Toledo House in Mulgoa with over one hundred and twenty lifelong friends in attendance. This year, the couple will celebrate their 58th wedding anniversary. What a wonderful accomplishment and example of young love that lasts a lifetime.