Waltzing through life

An Aberdeenshire couple are celebrating their 71^st Valentine’s Day together. John (Jack) and Christena Ogilvie will celebrate 14^th of February for the first time at Meallmore Group’s Grove Care Home located in Kemnay,  after moving in together at the end of last year.

John, 92 and his wife Christena, 88 fell in love seven decades ago after locking eyes with each other across the dancefloor in Meigle. John had been playing the bagpipes for Her Royal Highness, Princess Margaret, and afterwards went to a local dance in his full regalia with a couple of friends. After spotting Christena, he asked her to dance. The connection was instant and the next day Christena got the bus to Alyth where John was waiting for her at the Square. The doting couple dated for the next year before getting engaged and then were married in 1954 at Ruthven Church, Perthshire.

John and Christena have three children together, Moira, John Angus and Calum Grant. They also love being grandparents and great-grandparents to their three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Sharing tips on their long and happy marriage, the couple have said the key is to always be considerate and respectful to each other and to always love each other unconditionally. The loving pair have always been devoted to each other and have very rarely argued. They still like to do almost everything together.

Since moving into their new home at Grove Care Home, the couple are inseparable and always spend time together in their shared room, reminiscing over old stories and enjoying each other’s company.

William Narvaez, Care Home Manager said: “John and Christena are a wonderful couple and we are honoured to have them stay at Grove with us. Their marriage is a great example of true love and their energy is infectious to everyone around them.”

“After all these years, every morning their faces light up when they see each other and you can really see and feel the love they have for each other; it brings such happiness to everyone at Grove.”

The team at Grove have arranged a special Valentine’s Day date night for the couple with a lovely meal to celebrate.

Grove Care Home, located in Kemnay, Inverurie, is run by Meallmore Ltd and provides excellent standards of care for its residents, including those living with mobility issues and dementia.

More information about Meallmore Ltd can be found at https://www.meallmore.co.uk/