Half a century of true happiness

Norma Brunjes and Darryl Power (centre and below) were married at the Methodist Church, Mareeba, on January 31, 1970 with (rear from left) Archie Donaldson, Doreen Donaldson, Aldo Piagno, Alf Twist, Susan Booth, Janice Booth, Norma Brunjes, Fred Brunjes and (front) flower girls Noelene Metzger and Linda Brunjes. The Powers have just celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.

DARRYL Power was only 15 when he met Norma Brunjes, but he was smitten.

“They tell you at 15, you don’t know,” says Mr Power. But even then, he did.

“We met at a basketball game in Dimbulah. I was playing for Mareeba and she was playing for Dimbulah ladies.

“Her cousin came up to me and said: ‘That’s Norma Brunjes. She’s pretty keen on you’.

“I went and introduced myself and we arranged to meet at the Mareeba Rodeo two weeks later. That was our first date.

“Coming from Mareeba, I got dressed up. I was wearing a black shirt with white fleck, a skinny white tie, stovepipe pants and pointy shoes. I was going all-out to impress.

“Norma turned up dressed as a cowgirl and I thought, oh my God, what have I got into?

“But I just thought she was beautiful, to be honest. It’s hard to explain. It’s just one of those things.”

He says their love is as strong now as the day they married on January 31, 1970.

“If anything, it’s got stronger. We’ve had the normal family ups and downs, but we’ve had a wonderful life and it’s mainly because of Norma.”

The couple’s wet season wedding in the Methodist Church at Mareeba was followed by a reception for 300 people at Mareeba RSL.

It rained all day, apart from one hour when the cleared for their photos.

Guests managed to consume five 18-gallon (81-litre) kegs of beer and the newlyweds were the last to leave.

Mr Power was supported on the day by childhood buddy and groomsman Aldo Piagno and best man Alf Twist, his best friend through basketball.

Mrs Power’s sister, Linda, was a flower girl and cousins Susan Booth, Janice Booth and Noelene Metzger completed the bridal party.

The Powers moved to Cairns in 1970, built a house in Bayview Heights and say communication and compromise are the key to marriage.

“And it’s important to stay young at heart,” Mr Power said. skies