When a mutual friend introduced Dennis and Janice Lihou (nee Normington) to each other on Fish Hoek Beach in July 1971, the two could never have imagined that they would spend the rest of their lives together.
They celebrate their 50th anniversary on Saturday December 14.
They attribute their love to a relationship based on trust, respect, a love of life, “and good old 60s, 70s, and 80s music often played very loud”.
The couple, originally from the UK, both moved to South Africa in the 1960s. Dennis, born in Portsmouth, arrived in 1961, while Janice, from Wyke, Yorkshire, arrived in 1964.
“It was an instant attraction,” said Dennis, adding that he and Janice both felt an immediate connection.
Three years later, on July 11, 1974, the couple got engaged and married later that year on December 14 at the Wellwood Chapel on the corner of First Avenue and Recreation Road, Fish Hoek.
After their wedding, the couple settled in a flat in Oranjezicht, but a year later, they decided to move back to Fish Hoek, where they lived for three years.
In March 1978, they welcomed their first daughter, Amanda, and later that year bought their first home in Lakeside. Their second daughter, Nicola, was born in 1980.
In 1986, they moved to Kirstenhof, and in 1989 relocated to East London. However, Fish Hoek remained close to their hearts, and they returned in January 1993. They have lived here ever since.
The Lihou’s family have since expanded and they have two sons-in-law and five grandchildren – three of whom live in England and two in Fish Hoek.
Dennis said in the early 2000s, after both of their daughters were married, they took the opportunity for an extended overseas holiday and worked and travelled for three years before returning to Fish Hoek.
“Fifty years is a long time and a milestone of which we are immensely proud, but we have been very blessed. We smile a lot, talk and laugh a lot, and love each other more each day that passes,” said Dennis.
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