Still sparkling after 60 years of marriage
Strong and lasting ties between popular couple
Surrounded by friends and family, a well-known Dunblane couple have raised a glass to six decades of marriage.
Alexander and Wilma Stephen marked their diamond wedding anniversary with a small gathering at their home in the town.
The couple, who are parents to two and grandparents to four, have been reflecting on the last 60 years together – a period which has seen them both travel the world and make a significant impact in their community.
Alexander, or Sandy, is now aged 83 and he worked for years as a lecturer in mechanical engineering while his wife Wilma (80) spent more than 15-years as an English teacher at Alva Academy.
They’ve both been heavily involved with the Dunblane Burns Society while Sandy has long been a familiar face at Dunblane Golf Club and Wilma has devoted much of her life to the running of the 4th Dunblane Brownie Pack.
They grew up in the village of Tealing, Angus, together as teenagers and after a whirlwind romance got engaged in 1957.
Alexander said: “I guess we both went to the local dancing and that’s how we got together. It would have been 1955 or 1956, and then we got engaged on Wilma’s 19th birthday and married the next year.”
They were married at Tealing Parish Church on May 24, 1958, and even walked out to a guard of honour from her Brownie pack.
The couple went on to have two children, Shona (55) who is now the chief executive at Queens Cross Housing Association in Glasgow and Neil (53), who is the general manager at video games giant Rockstar Games.
They also have four grandchildren – Caitlin (23), Alexandra (20), Billy (18) and Joe (16).
The family lived in Germany for several years where Alexander was a captain in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) before they returned to Scotland – and moved to Dunblane in 1971.
Both devoted their working lives to educating people with Wilma a respected teacher at Alva Academy and Alexander a lecturer at Glasgow Caledonian University.
Alexander added: “I am biased but she was a very good teacher and whenever we’re out and we see some of her former pupils they always take an interest and ask how she is.
“She cared about the pupils, and I think she was very well regarded at the school. She always goes out her way to help people. She is a lovely woman.”
Away from work they loved going on holidays – visiting places such as the United States and Asia – although they have not been able to do so as much in recent times due to Wilma’s ill health.
These days they enjoy relaxing at home together and spending time with family.
And when celebrating their big day last month Sandy was sporting a good humoured, but special, piece of clothing in honour of his wife.
He added: “I was in Glasgow for work and one day when I was out for lunch I came across this snazzy tie in a shop. It was a Flinstones tie with ‘Wilma’ printed right across it.
“I like to wear it to family functions and events where we can have a bit of fun – even if she is a little bit embarrassed by it.”