Ursula and Douglas MacLeod have just celebrated 70 years of marriage that began at St John’s Methodist Church Glasgow on 21 March 1951.
They were delighted to receive recognition from Her Majesty the Queen on this occasion and from the Provost of East Dunbartonshire where they have lived for all but five of these years.
At 94 and 96 respectively, with birthdays coming up shortly, Ursula puts this achievement down to simple Good Luck and a healthy gene pool within the family ancestry. They have been fortunate not to succumb to serious illness and have managed an active life, both physically and socially.
Unbelievably, Ursula, approaching 95, is still playing regular golf and is a well-kent face at both Cawder and Clober golf clubs where she is a member. Another 18 holes last Tuesday when the weather was fine and out again on Thursday. Douglas is still a member at Glasgow Golf Club although now only a social member.
Ursula represents the modern nonagenarian and remains very much an active person, still managing to pursue her hobby of cross-stitching, requiring good eyesight, and providing the family with her various creations as well as the annual family marmalade supply produced with the new Seville oranges every January.
Ursula has been the glue for the family and wider family friends of more than one generation over the years and writes regularly to many of the younger members although their own contemporaries have passed on.
Douglas was Finance Director at Tennant Caledonian (Bass) Breweries for many years until he retired and enjoyed, as a Chartered Accountant, close active links with his Institute and continues to manage his own resources and paperwork to this day.
Both were delighted to receive the flowers from East Dunbartonshire on behalf of the Provost, a real surprise on the day.