True love remains strong after more than six decades

15 Feb 2017

By The Record

After more than 60 years of marriage, the love lives on for Mercy Place Mandurah’s residents Morris and Sheena Richmond, who are 85 and 83 years of age respectively. Photo: Supplied

After more than 60 years of marriage, the love lives on for Mercy Place Mandurah’s residents Morris and Sheena Richmond, who are 85 and 83 years of age respectively.

The pair have this week celebrated their 61st Valentine’s Day together and readily admit their happy union has centred on always being true to each other.

After marrying in 1955, the couple went on to have three children – a boy and two girls. Their family brood now includes six grandchildren.

The Richmond’s moved into Mercy Place Mandurah a year ago, after emigrating to Perth from South Africa in 2008.

“We met when Sheena’s aunt asked me to take her to a dance as she needed a partner, and then we had an argument about who would pay for the tickets, which I duly lost,” laughs Mr Richmond.

“We were together for 18 months before getting engaged, and we married on 15 December 1955.

“We’ve had a wonderful life together, in my opinion there’s three things you need for a good marriage, love, respect and compatibility.”

Mercy Health Mandurah Service Manager, Christina Venables, says couples like Morris and Sheena epitomise what Valentine’s Day is all about; having true commitment and respect for each other, as well as love.

“Morris and Sheena’s partnership is true testament to a long and happy marriage,” she said. “It will be wonderful to see them celebrate Valentine’s Day; they are certainly a couple who even after all of these years love each other very much.”

Mercy Health is a Catholic community not for profit provider of care, founded by the Sisters of Mercy and grounded in a 2000 year history of caring for those in need. In Western Australia, the organisation cares for more than 300 people across six residential homes, with 78 independent living units.