When Jim Kellas and his wife Rosie first met in the 1950s, they both knew it was love at first sight.
Fast forward several decades and the Aberdeenshire couple have just celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary – and say they still feel “as happy as ever”.
91-year-old Jim said: “We’ve had our ups and downs like everyone else but that’s just life, you just get on with it.
Rosie, 87, added: “As long as we have our health and happiness, that’s all that matters.”
Kemnay couple married in 1953
Jim was around 20 when young Rosemary, otherwise known as Rosie, caught his eye whilst playing piano in her local band.
“That’s how we met. Rosie often played in dance bands and I met her through going to the dancing,” he explained.
A year after meeting – on November 14, 1953 – they walked down the aisle ready to spend the rest of their lives together.
After the pair married they moved to Glenkindie for about a year, before moving to a small farm in Hillockhead and eventually settling down in Bucksburn, where they raised their family for 52 years. They now live in Kemnay.
Jim started out at Lawsons in Dyce before becoming a bus driver for more than three decades.
He said: “Still to this day, some of the kids remember me.”
Rosie also reminisced on fond memories of her career as she worked at the Stoneywood Mill for 23 years.
“We had good fun, it was hard work but the girls were fine,” she said.
Over the years, the happy couple have travelled the world together, visiting places like Germany, Ireland, South Africa as well as their home country.
“With Rosie playing in the different dance bands, we were often out a lot around Aberdeenshire too,” Jim said.
Celebrations for Platinum pair
The P&J readers were delighted to receive a card from King Charles and Queen Camilla to mark their Platinum anniversary this year.
Jim said: “We received a card from the King and Queen. We also got a card from the late Queen Elizabeth for our Diamond anniversary.”
To celebrate, the couple hosted a party with close friends and family last week.
“There are only three people who are still alive that were at our wedding,” Jim said.
“We stay in touch with them all of the time, but they weren’t at the party last week.”
The couple said they had a “magnificent” time as they celebrated with friends, their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Jim added: “We were playing a lot of old-fashioned tunes that we used to hear going to the dances.
“A lot of people had tears running down their faces from the memories.”
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