Retirement Living
Marriage at third sight, to forever. On the 24th of May, 1975, at their third meeting, Charlie and Jessie exchanged their vows at the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, a Catholic church in Singapore. This year, they celebrate their golden wedding anniversary.
25th June 2025
50 Golden Years
Marriage at third sight, to forever. On the 24th of May, 1975, at their third meeting, Charlie and Jessie exchanged their vows at the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, a Catholic church in Singapore. This year, they celebrate their golden wedding anniversary.
The Meeting
Leaving love in his own hands was not in the cards for Charlie, who had several unsuccessful engagements before his mother, Cecilia, intervened. It was Cecilia who finally convinced Charlie that time was getting the better of him. Reflectively, Charlie relented, allowing his mother to find his perfect match. It was not long before she discovered Jessie, whom Charlie still, to this day, regards as the best bride for him. Charlie and Jessie are both from Malacca, Malaysia, where their families have long been acquainted. Charlie’s parents first visited to meet Jessie, immediately liking her. Soon afterwards, Charlie was introduced to Jessie for himself, agreeing it was a marriage he would consider. Consider he did, as Charlie’s first visit marked their initial meeting; the second meeting was their engagement, and the third meeting was their wedding.
Life Together
“We only fell in love after marriage,” Jessie fondly recalled. It was the process of getting to know each other once married, when their love developed. They welcomed two beautiful sons into their family, Francoise and Andrew, who they consider their greatest accomplishment. They agree that their favourite part of marriage is having someone special to come home to and exchange stories about their day.
Charlie soon discovered his new bride’s strict dietary restrictions as Jessie avoided chicken, beef, and pork; however, she now includes chicken in her diet, giving her more culinary diversity. “Jessie is a wonderful cook,” Charlie proudly stated. He also boasted that Jessie is adept at managing finances. His earnings would go to her, and she would provide him with an allowance. “We set a budget, and she runs the show. Which suits me just fine, as I am in no way thrifty!" he laughed.
They moved from Singapore to Sydney in 1997 as Sydney offered a higher quality of life, improved education for their children, and better job opportunities. Charlie worked as a teacher at a college, and Jessie was an assistant nurse at an aged care facility in Sydney. Their oldest son practised medicine, while their youngest is a clinical nurse in Sydney. Both sons have gifted Charlie and Jessie with grandchildren, whom they consider their greatest joy. Charlie and Jessie are also grateful for their wonderful daughters in law. In 2017, they relocated from Sydney to Western Australia after retirement, sadly distancing themselves from their children and grandchildren. However, they prioritise family and often travel back to see everyone.
Cherished Moments We Shared
Their greatest memories together revolve around their children and grandchildren, particularly their children's milestones, such as graduations and weddings. When they resided in Sydney, their children would drop off their grandchildren for child-minding. Charlie shared that “it was a chore, but an exciting one” as they could watch their grandchildren learn to crawl, walk, and play. Their grandchildren referred to them as "Pati” and "Tata," meaning “grandma” and “grandpa” in Indian.
Charlie and Jessie love their quality time together, watching game shows like Deal or No Deal, Family Feud, Lingo, and Tipping Point keep their routine and actively engages them with each other. For the past 30 years, they have been devoted fans of the drama The Bold and the Beautiful. “We stop answering the phone after 4:30 pm while watching our shows,” Charlie joked.
“We always buy lotto tickets every week,” Charlie responded when asked about their favourite shared activity. They envision a future where their winnings could turn their fortunes into a lovely second home in Sydney for family visits, while keeping their residence at SwanCare. “Of course, we would also share with family, maybe even donate to SwanCare,” Charlie added.
The Key to a Happy Marriage
They shared that a long and happy marriage depends on open communication and forgiveness, with their maximum time being upset lasting only 10 minutes. They understand each other deeply — "she has me, and I have her; there’s no one else.” They collaborate and communicate to discover the best solutions together. “We are a team, not enemies, so we have to work together.”
They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary ahead of time as a joint celebration with Charlie’s birthday in April, when many family members came to visit.
Charlie and Jessie hold a profound appreciation for each other and now for their life at SwanCare, stating that “It was the best decision for us. It is close to everything, and the people are warm!”
We are lucky to have such a lovely couple in our community, and we wish Charlie and Jessie a happy 50th wedding anniversary. Congratulations!
50 Golden Years
Marriage at third sight, to forever. On the 24th of May, 1975, at their third meeting, Charlie and Jessie exchanged their vows at the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, a Catholic church in Singapore. This year, they celebrate their golden wedding anniversary.
The Meeting
Leaving love in his own hands was not in the cards for Charlie, who had several unsuccessful engagements before his mother, Cecilia, intervened. It was Cecilia who finally convinced Charlie that time was getting the better of him. Reflectively, Charlie relented, allowing his mother to find his perfect match. It was not long before she discovered Jessie, whom Charlie still, to this day, regards as the best bride for him. Charlie and Jessie are both from Malacca, Malaysia, where their families have long been acquainted. Charlie’s parents first visited to meet Jessie, immediately liking her. Soon afterwards, Charlie was introduced to Jessie for himself, agreeing it was a marriage he would consider. Consider he did, as Charlie’s first visit marked their initial meeting; the second meeting was their engagement, and the third meeting was their wedding.
Life Together
“We only fell in love after marriage,” Jessie fondly recalled. It was the process of getting to know each other once married, when their love developed. They welcomed two beautiful sons into their family, Francoise and Andrew, who they consider their greatest accomplishment. They agree that their favourite part of marriage is having someone special to come home to and exchange stories about their day.
Charlie soon discovered his new bride’s strict dietary restrictions as Jessie avoided chicken, beef, and pork; however, she now includes chicken in her diet, giving her more culinary diversity. “Jessie is a wonderful cook,” Charlie proudly stated. He also boasted that Jessie is adept at managing finances. His earnings would go to her, and she would provide him with an allowance. “We set a budget, and she runs the show. Which suits me just fine, as I am in no way thrifty!" he laughed.
They moved from Singapore to Sydney in 1997 as Sydney offered a higher quality of life, improved education for their children, and better job opportunities. Charlie worked as a teacher at a college, and Jessie was an assistant nurse at an aged care facility in Sydney. Their oldest son practised medicine, while their youngest is a clinical nurse in Sydney. Both sons have gifted Charlie and Jessie with grandchildren, whom they consider their greatest joy. Charlie and Jessie are also grateful for their wonderful daughters in law. In 2017, they relocated from Sydney to Western Australia after retirement, sadly distancing themselves from their children and grandchildren. However, they prioritise family and often travel back to see everyone.
Cherished Moments We Shared
Their greatest memories together revolve around their children and grandchildren, particularly their children's milestones, such as graduations and weddings. When they resided in Sydney, their children would drop off their grandchildren for child-minding. Charlie shared that “it was a chore, but an exciting one” as they could watch their grandchildren learn to crawl, walk, and play. Their grandchildren referred to them as "Pati” and "Tata," meaning “grandma” and “grandpa” in Indian.
Charlie and Jessie love their quality time together, watching game shows like Deal or No Deal, Family Feud, Lingo, and Tipping Point keep their routine and actively engages them with each other. For the past 30 years, they have been devoted fans of the drama The Bold and the Beautiful. “We stop answering the phone after 4:30 pm while watching our shows,” Charlie joked.
“We always buy lotto tickets every week,” Charlie responded when asked about their favourite shared activity. They envision a future where their winnings could turn their fortunes into a lovely second home in Sydney for family visits, while keeping their residence at SwanCare. “Of course, we would also share with family, maybe even donate to SwanCare,” Charlie added.
The Key to a Happy Marriage
They shared that a long and happy marriage depends on open communication and forgiveness, with their maximum time being upset lasting only 10 minutes. They understand each other deeply — "she has me, and I have her; there’s no one else.” They collaborate and communicate to discover the best solutions together. “We are a team, not enemies, so we have to work together.”
They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary ahead of time as a joint celebration with Charlie’s birthday in April, when many family members came to visit.
Charlie and Jessie hold a profound appreciation for each other and now for their life at SwanCare, stating that “It was the best decision for us. It is close to everything, and the people are warm!”
We are lucky to have such a lovely couple in our community, and we wish Charlie and Jessie a happy 50th wedding anniversary. Congratulations!
