A COUPLE, from Benarty and Lochgelly, who have lived most of their lives in the United States, celebrated their golden wedding on Friday.

Marlene and Ian Paxton, who began their courtship at the Palaise de Danse in Cowdenbeath, have made their home in Connecticut and have enjoyed a happy life there, although they lost their son Steven through a tragic accident.

Ian is the son of the late Greta and Charlie Paxton, of Lochgelly; and Marlene (Riding) is the daughter of Isabella Butters and step-daughter of the late Alex Butters, of Ballingry.

The pair both worked in Bank Street, Lochgelly, Ian with Paton and Turpie, the grocers, and Marlene with the Co-op, before she spent some time working at Glenlomond Hospital after going into nursing. Marlene admits to having the eyes for Ian and deliberately went past his place of work each day to give a ‘wee wave’. Finally one Monday night, when they were both out at the Palaise de Danse, in Cowdenbeath, when Ian asked Marlene to dance, their three year courtship began with them eventually marrying on 19th September 1964.

Shortly after they emigrated to the States, settling in Connecticut where they had two children, Steven and Heather, sadly Steven died in a road accident in 1984. Heather married in 1995 and now has three children, twin boys and a girl.

The couple had an early celebration of their 50th anniversary with a cruise to Bermuda with their family, mainly because of the children’s school holidays. Over the years they have made frequent visits home to Scotland to spend time with family and friends and over the past three years Marlene has visited her mum Isa, now 93, twice a year. Isa ensures that her daughter and son-in-law are kept up to date with what is going on locally by sending her the Times each week for half a century!

The pair have now retired from their jobs, Ian with the Sikorski aircraft company and Marlene with the Department of People with Disabilities.