A surprise celebration was organised for John and Dorothy
Thexton to mark their 60th anniversary and the couple enjoyed their 'first
dance' there.
A loving couple have had their ‘first dance’ 60 years after
their wedding day.
When John and Dorothy Thexton tied the knot in 1957, it was
a small family affair and the occasion did not involve a traditional first
dance.
John, now 84, says he is not much of a dancer and the couple
never really danced together over the years.
However, to mark their diamond anniversary, a surprise party
was organised for them where the couple did dance and celebrated 60 years of
togetherness.
The special tea dance was held at the Great Park Community
Centre by Silverline Memories, a National Lottery-funded group that supports
older people with mild to moderate dementia.
Dorothy, 83, was diagnosed with dementia in 2003 and John
has been caring for his wife ever since.
John said: “We were married at St Cuthberts in Blyth. It was
very much a small family affair. We never danced together - my experience with
dancing has been absolutely zero.
“But the 60th anniversary celebration they organised was absolutely
amazing. It was a breathtaking experience.
“We knew something was afoot and they were planning
something but we didn’t know what it was. When we got there, they had set out
the tables, banners and flowers, and our family members were there and it was
great. We were not expecting anything on this scale.
“Dorothy attends tea
dances regularly and she loves music - it lights her up. I saw how much Dorothy
enjoys dancing and on our celebration day, I joined in.
“They made it very special for us and we thoroughly enjoyed
it. It was an unforgettable occasion for our family.”
The couple, of Brunton
Park, Newcastle, have known each other since they were children as
their families were close friends.
When they got married, John was studying architecture at
King’s College in Newcastle and Dorothy was studying social studies.
John went on to work overseas for years, in places including
Libya and Saudi Arabia.
The couple, who have two daughters and three grandchildren,
met mostly during their holidays. John later became a volunteer at a care home.
And after Dorothy was diagnosed with dementia, John became
her carer. He helps to pick out her clothes, get her dressed and also does her
make-up.
He said: “Caring for Dorothy is not a problem for me. I
volunteered at a care home for eight years so I have some experience.
“Dorothy goes to a dementia cafe and tea dances regularly.
She looks forward to that. When she’s listening to music, she is always
smiling.
“I’m determined to provide care for her for as long as I
physically can.
“We get a lot of support from Silverline Memories - they
transformed our lives. All their volunteers are gems and they help to solve any
problems we may have, whether it’s to find a hairdresser or dentist or for
anything else.
“We owe them an awful lot.”
SOURCE: Chronicle Live, Sonia Sharma
What a lovely heartwarming story, its good to hear how a little effort can make such a big difference and enrich peoples lives.
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