Togetherness: John and Judith Revell recently celebrated their platinum anniversary.
John and Judith Revell recently marked an extraordinary milestone: 70 years of shared companionship.
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Describing themselves as incredibly “fortunate” to reach such an achievement, the couple’s love story is woven with humour, commitment and serendipity.
Judith, originally from Murchison, and John, hailing from Tatura, have spent most of their lives together. When quizzed about the secret behind their enduring relationship, Judith cheekily brought up a family joke.
“I have never considered divorce; murder sometimes, but never divorce,” she said.
The Revells initially resided in Tatura before relocating to Murchison when John secured a position at Goulburn Valley Water. Their union blessed them with three children —Elinor, Linda and Stuart — and the family has since expanded to include five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
John and Judith unknowingly attended the same primary school in Tatura, albeit five years apart.
But their paths properly crossed later in life, and that’s when their connection blossomed.
It all started with a memorable bus trip, a standard mode of exploration for local families in those days.
Equipped with one of the first transistor radios, John seized the opportunity to impress Judith during a lunch stop one day.
John reflected warmly on that pivotal moment.
“I was extremely shy, and even though we were already good friends, it took me forever to muster the courage to ask her,” he said.
“I knew she was the one person for me the first time I laid my eyes on her.
“She was one of the pretty ones, mind you!”
John admires Judith’s kindness and affable nature, while Judith cherishes John’s loyalty, dubbing him a “true blue”.
After a couple of years of courtship, the couple tied the knot at Shepparton’s Presbyterian church on February 6, 1954, on a scorching summer day etched in Judith’s memory:
“My cheeks were sore from smiling,” she said.
“We haven’t been apart since,” John said.
Lovebirds: John and Judith Revell.
Photo by
Kady Hadjab
The intimate celebration counted about 30 guests and was followed by a honeymoon by the Murray River. They had borrowed a caravan and stopped in Echuca on their way to have a cup of tea, only to realise that all the packed food had ended up on the floor.
That didn’t prevent the newlyweds from spending a beautiful honeymoon fishing and exploring.
As they embarked on their lifelong journey together, the couple found joy in Murchison, where they lived for many years and raised their children.
According to Judith, the recipe for a successful marriage is the ongoing commitment to working on the relationship while “staying true to yourself”.
John emphasised the importance of kindness, respect and “saying thank you”.
Reflecting on the challenges they had overcome while raising a family, John and Judith said they were grateful for the deep bonds they shared with their children, their partners, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
They acknowledged the significance of passing down the values of hard work and were proud to witness the resilience of their family in the face of challenges.
When asked about their fondest memory, John and Judith unanimously declared, “the birth of our children”, a sentiment that has only deepened with the arrival of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
In celebrating 70 years together, John and Judith’s relationship is an ode to enduring love, wisdom, laughter and a lifetime of cherished moments.
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