It was double delight for this Cape Flats dad yesterday - celebrating his 62nd wedding anniversary on Father’s Day.
Albert Uys, 88, had two reasons to smile as he was being spoilt by his five children and 10 grandchildren with cake and tea, and wife Agnes, 84, looking on.
The couple tied the knot in 1954 and the love is still going strong between the two lovebirds.
They had 10 children, five of whom are still alive.
Despite their advanced age, the couple live alone in their Factreton home, where Agnes cares for the terminally ill Albert.
Albert, a retired engineer, was diagnosed with cancer and diabetes in February.
Agnes, who worked in the banking and clothing industry, still cooks, cleans and runs the household.
Asked their secret to a happy marriage, Agnes says: “We lived by the recipe of hard work and praising God, kerk en werk.”
The mom was born in Cape Town but grew up as a plaaskind in Vredendal, where they got up at the crack of dawn to work.
“Hard work is in our blood,” she says.
“We worked together as husband and wife and God’s grace kept our marriage strong. I had children, and many of them, but I continued to work. Even now, if I could take a tea lady job, I would, but I must care for my husband.
“We raised our children to be hard workers and to stand on their own feet, they had casual jobs since Standard 4 already, daar was nie van die muur afhang nie (being lazy).”
The couple met through a family friend in Kensington, and Agnes says: “We got married just after my mother passed away.”
Agnes gently kisses Albert on the mouth. Asked what attracted her to him, she laughs and says: “ Nee, hy is oraait.”
Their youngest child, Sanet Adams, 42, says they feel blessed to still have both their parents.
“Daddy became ill in February; he was such an independent person and was even driving up until he became ill.
“This is a blessing and an honour to have them around with us,” she says.