AN OXFORD man who wooed his sweetheart with a love poem has celebrated 65 years of marriage with her.
Stan and Gwen Garrod, both 86, from Iffley, were married in 1946, aged 21, in Leceister.
The pair met at a dance at Leicester Technical College in 1942 and Mr Garrod wrote to Miss Stern, as she was, the five-verse poem when he proposed to her in 1945.
They celebrated their wedding anniversary for the 65th time on Thursday.
Mr Garrod said: “We have had a fortunate life together. We have had two children and three grandchildren and we have enjoyed life. We have had our ups and downs nevertheless we have stuck by each other and enjoyed it.
“I wouldn’t have wanted to do anything else.”
The couple have lived in Tree Lane for 35 years.
Mr Garrod worked as Oxford City Council’s chief environmental health officer for 14 years before retiring in 1985.
He is a keen gardener and won prizes in the 2009 and 2010 Oxford in Bloom competitions.
Mrs Garrod was a bank clerk but quit to raise the family, children Dane Garrod, 64, and Nicola Whiting, 47.
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