80-year-old Woonona bride finally says yes

By Michele Tydd
Updated November 5 2012 - 9:31pm, first published July 23 2009 - 11:18am
Sylvia has finally said "yes" to Harry's marriage proposal after a 40-year romance. It's Harry's dying wish to marry Sylvia. Picture: SYLVIA LIBER
Sylvia has finally said "yes" to Harry's marriage proposal after a 40-year romance. It's Harry's dying wish to marry Sylvia. Picture: SYLVIA LIBER
80-year-old Woonona bride finally says yes
80-year-old Woonona bride finally says yes

"About time!" 86-year-old Harry Roberts from Woonona shouted when his long-time love finally relented and agreed to marry him.Sylvia Roberts, 80, who now regrets playing hard to get for four decades, will marry Harry at 3pm today at Wollongong Hospital's chapel. Harry, who is permanently confined to a wheelchair, is suffering his third bout of pneumonia this year.It is his dying wish to marry Sylvia.Harry first proposed 40 years ago, five years after they moved in together."After two previous marriages I never saw it as all that important, but I've made him wait long enough," the bride-to-be said yesterday, explaining her change of heart."I won't get a new surname but I'm finally excited about the prospect of being a bride again," she said.Sylvia and Harry met at tennis in the '60s when Sylvia was a cleaner at Woonona Public School and Harry drove taxis."We've had the most wonderful life together without a single serious argument," she said.Harry said he fell for Sylvia almost instantly and never gave up on the idea of marriage. Coincidentally, they both have the same surname."She is sweet and caring and I've never wanted anybody else," Harry said.Sylvia's granddaughter Belinda George will be among the party at the wedding, to be conducted by a marriage celebrant."All of us grandkids are as excited as Nan and Pop because we love them both dearly," she said.The pair will celebrate the marriage in a suite at the hospital.

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