Thelma and Douglas Bobrige have been married for 70 years.
Camera IconThelma and Douglas Bobrige have been married for 70 years. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Bobrige’s celebrate 70 years of marriage

Headshot of Josh Zimmerman
Josh ZimmermanMelville Gazette

Mr Bobrige was born in 1924 and raised in Murray Bridge, South Australia, while Mrs Bobrige was born in 1927 and raised in South Fremantle.

Their paths first crossed one afternoon in South Fremantle in 1945.

Mrs Bobrige, then 18, was taking her young nephew for a stroll and called in to see a friend who happened to have another visitor – a 21-year-old sailor in uniform.

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Initially assuming Mrs Bobrige was a young married woman with a child, Mr Bobrige was delighted to learn the young woman was just babysitting and was in fact single.

They married the following year in South Australia, returning to WA in 1947 to raise three children (two daughters and a son).

They now have nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Mr Bobrige worked with G&R Wills for 44 years until retirement and Mrs Bobrige worked at Mills and Wares before devoting her life to raising their family.

They have lived in Bateman since 1972 and are longstanding members of the Mt Pleasant Bowling Club.