Forres couple Ian and Isobel Christie celebrate diamond wedding anniversary
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A FORRES couple have celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary and lifted the lid on 60 happy years of marriage.
Ian Christie (82) and Isobel Christie (78) met, got married and had their only child Kelvin, now 59, in Brora back in 1960.
Since the wedding, on March 18, 1960, the couple have travelled the world together, with Ian working in the RAF and the Foreign Office. They are now happily settled in the Mosset Grove area of Forres, and have three grandchildren – Jack, Mark and Leanne – and three great-grandchildren.
Isobel said the key to sustaining a happy marriage was "working hard".
She added: "I have worked hard all my life. We have had our ups and downs like everybody else but we have had happy times.
"We have travelled and I was very lucky to do everything we did. If I didn't meet Ian, I wouldn't have had the chance to do all the things I did.
"But when you are away all that time, it is lovely to come home."
Ian said "sharing" was his secret, and the couple have shared many once-in-a-lifetime experiences throughout their 60 years together.
In Warsaw, the couple lived beside Polish leader Wojciech Jaruzelski, while, in Bonn, the couple entertained the Rangers football team on an away day in the region. However, Ian said, the biggest claim to fame of all is taking a dip in Frank Sinatra's swimming pool while in Havana.
The travels all began in 1961, when Ian was drafted into the RAF.
He said: "I was the last of the conscription in 1961, so I joined the Air Force and served for 25 years in Germany, Singapore, Cyprus, Holland, and my last post was in Kinloss.
"Then I went into the Foreign Office for 15 years. I worked in the embassies in Warsaw, Havana, Athens, Bonn, Berlin, Dublin and Moscow.
"We were travellers, we travelled the world and we had a good time."
While travelling, the family have retained a passionate love for sport. Ian is, to this day, a member at Forres Golf Club and travels home and away to watch Brora Rangers.
He previously represented the Air Force at golf, most notably winning the Cyprus Open in 1977, 1978 and 1979. There was a day, Ian recalled, where himself, Isobel and Kelvin all won a tournament on the same day.
He added: "We are a big sporting family. Isobel has got to like sport too – she has no option!
"We go all over the place watching Brora Rangers, we are big supporters. We don't forget where we came from."
Ian and Isobel were visited in their home by Depute Lord Lieutenant George Macintyre and councillor Lorna Creswell (Forres, Independent) to mark their anniversary.
Unfortunately, a celebration party planned to take place at the Mosset Tavern on Saturday, March 21, had to be postponed due to coronavirus. However, the pair will still be donating all the money they receive to Cancer Research and Prostate Cancer UK.