OUR LIVES
LOCAL MILESTONES
AS Roger and Heather Keelan sat on the highway near Kempsey 48 years ago, all their worldly possessions crammed into the car, they chose to let their children decide which direction life would take them.
“We had a banana farm for the first part of our married life,” Mr Keelan said.
“We’d had enough and were lucky to sell up. We packed up the car with our eight and 10-year-old daughters and our two-month-old son and we didn’t know if we should drive down to Sydney or up to Queensland.
“The girls said they liked the sunshine. So we headed for the Gold Coast.”
The Varsity Lakes couple are celebrating 60 years of marriage after meeting at a dance and marrying at just 19.
While they were still dating Mr Keelan was given the honour of carrying the 1956 Melbourne Olympic torch as it passed through town.
Mr Keelan asked his future wife to marry him after the pair met for a lunch-time stroll outside the dress store where Mrs Keelan was working.
But it wasn’t until a short time later when the young couple decided to go on a roadtrip to visit Mrs Keelan’s brother, a police officer who was posted to Gympie, that they purchased the engagement ring.
“The funny thing was we ended up buying it from Birkbeck’s in Southport as were passing through,” Mr Keelan said.
Upon moving to the Gold Coast, Mr Keelan joined the Southport Golf Club, where he still plays weekly, and the couple bought a milk run.
“I’ve always helped with the family businesses,” Mrs Keelan said. “I packed bananas and went along for the ride on the milk run.”
With 10 grandchildren and another on the way plus an additional eight great grandchildren, the Keelans know a thing or two about how to play happy families.
“My first bit of advice is to pick the right person to marry,” Mr Keelan said.
“Yes, we’re husband and wife but we’re really good mates as well. The best thing I was told is if it’s not nice, then don’t say it. And be nice to your mother-in-law.”