Couple’s diamond celebration
THIRTY-EIGHT homes in 60 years of marriage could strain the best of relationships, but Dennis and Moreen Lee Sye of Tolga survived all the moves.
On Tuesday they will celebrate their diamond wedding anniversary.
“Moreen has been a loving and caring wife through all our 38 different homes and always supported me, whenever job offers meant a transfer to another place, even though she had to settle our four children in different towns and schools,” says Dennis, 82.
Dennis was born at Gayndah in 1936 and Moreen Courtney in Cairns in 1938.
He started school at Gordonvale Convent before moves to Saint Barnabas Herberton, Halifax State School, Parramatta State School, All Souls Charters Towers, Cairns Central and Cairns State High, joining W C Kynaston in 1951 as an apprentice carpenter.
Moreen went to school at Edge Hill and Cairns High, working as a seamstress at AJ Drapers until she started nursing at Cairns Base Hospital.
Dennis and Moreen met when he visited a friend in hospital, later taking her home from a dance at the Trocadero on her 17th birthday.
They were married at St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Cairns on January 31, 1959 with Peter Sidey as best man and Moreen’s sister, Jacqueline, as bridesmaid.
After finishing his trade, Dennis became foreman for the Australian Inland Mission Hospital at Coen, later working for TJ Watkins in Queensland and Papua New Guinea.
He transferred to Lae in 1963 with Watkins (Overseas) Ltd under George Watkins, becoming general manager of Watkins PNG Ltd.
Returning to Australia in 1977, Dennis project managed works at Jabiru mine, Cairns International Airport, Ramada Reef Resort and Park Royal Hotel before supervising construction of James Cook University at Smithfield until his retirement at 74.
Dennis has also been active with Atherton Rotary Club, fundraised for Carinya Home and helped restore the Rocky Creek WWII army igloo. Today he continues to cycle.
The couple have four children (Dennis, Sue, Kay and Julie) and four grandchildren.