Geoff and Mary Holter of Alington Road received a visit from the Mayor Mary Dalton on their 60th Anniversary on Thursday 20th August.
Geoff from Bexhill, Surrey met Mary in Ripon while he was serving in the Royal Signals as a Regular soldier. Mary, from Trimdon, was working at the Teacher Training College there and was out shopping in the City Centre.
They went for romantic walk down by the riverside and it wasn’t long after they were wed and living in married quarters on an Army camp in Nottingham.
The couple were parted when Geoff was posted to Libya for three years and Mary returned home to the North East. They have two sons, Graham and Keith, with two grandchildren.
After leaving the Army the couple set up home in Newton Aycliffe when Geoff took a job with Bell Accordians on the Industrial Estate where he was trained to repair these instruments.
When Bells closed Geoff continued the business under his own name in Darlington until he retired at the age of 76. Mary worked at Fine Fare, a shoe shop and until she retired was a baker at Peters.
She admits to being a “home bird” and enjoys looking after her house and family. Geoff is a long serving member of the military “Fellowship” which meets monthly at the RAFA Club. He also enjoys Coarse Fishing.
The family got together for a celebration meal at a Darlington Restaurant last week and Graham, who lives with his parents, took them for lunch on their anniversary day when they also received a congratulations card from the Queen.
Geoff and Mary Holter and their son Graham with Mayor Mary Dalton
