A shove that ended in love
Secrets to a happy marriage
Alan Millard can vividly remember being shoved in the back, forced into a room to face his future father-in-law.
The culprit, his now-wife of 70 years Margaret, desperate for her beloved to gather up the courage and ask her father for permission to get married.
“I look in (the room) and I said no he’s gone to sleep and next thing there’s hands in the back,” Mr Millard said.
“I was head over heels and that’s why I allowed (Margaret) to push me.”
Ms Millard first set eyes on her life partner at 16 when her father, affectionately known as Fergie, held South Coast Football Club meetings at their house on the Gold Coast.
“He was five years older than me, but I thought he’s a nice bloke, he’s nice looking and intelligent … it didn’t take long before I was head over heels,” she said.
Three years later, it was Ms Millard who made the move, pushing her panicked partner into her father’s room to pop the question.
Both said it was “almost unbelievable” they were celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary in Southport on May 1 and described their love as “very deep” and “non-ending”.
For young lovers looking to stand the test of time, the Millards agreed it was quite simple.
“I think it’s important to respect one another,” Ms Millard said. “First of all you’ve got to love one another and then you’ve got to respect one another and respect each other’s opinions and feelings.”
Mr Millard said: “One thing (also) I think is luck, you can work on different things in your marriage, but a lot of it is luck that you pick the right person, and you’re compatible and all of these types of things.”
The couple are prominent Gold Coast citizens and have both been awarded the Gold Coast Citizen of the Year.
Ms Millard received an OAM for her services to the musical community, where she has been a highly regarded piano teacher since her early 20s, and until his retirement, Mr Millard was a deputy principal at numerous Gold Coast state primary schools.
Both say one of their favourite parts of their relationship is travelling together – they have jumped on more than 20 cruises all over the world. “We’ve had a very good life, it has been wonderful,” Ms Millard said.
“And we’ve done most things together,” Mr Millard added.
The pair have three children, four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, which Ms Millard said were the joy of her life.