When Harry met Margy: a very Wollongong love story

The tale of Harry and Margaret Gooden is a very Wollongong love story - and while all good stories must come to an end, this one ended with them together one last time.

Harry passed away on July 17, and as is so often the case with long-term partners, Margaret faded quickly once he was gone, and died five days after her husband.

Margaret grew up on lower Crown St, where her parents had a barber shop and gift store. They lived upstairs and were active in politics - first the Communist Party, later Labor - and the flat was a community centre for events and meetings, daughter Kate Gooden said.

Harry was born in Moree and his family travelled before his father found work at the steelworks. They lived in North Wollongong, fishing for their food and growing their vegetables.

"Pretty much their whole life was in that north beach, Wollongong Harbour, South Beach, and the lower Crown St area," Kate said. "That's why mum was against that big development down there - she always spoke about the real community spirit there."

Harry met Margy at primary school. They were sweethearts by 16 and his first job was at a menswear store on lower Crown - near Margaret's gift shop. Later she worked in catering at Dapto Leagues for 28 years, also helping with Meals on Wheels, while Harry prosecuted industrial injustice with the department of Industrial Relations.

Margaret's activism later turned to trying to save the lower Crown St precinct from high-rise development, including joining a "knit-in" on the street.

They raised a family of four children, and in turn nine grandchildren came along.

Alzheimer's is a cruel disease and it was the only thing that managed to separate Harry and Margaret - as full-time care was needed. But Kate said they got the pair together for visits to Belmore Basin, and to allow them to hold hands one last time - after which Harry died, and Margaret followed him as soon as she could.