Their recent brush with the Coronavirus made Stuart (84) and Molly (82) Jayes’ 60th wedding anniversary on February 5 even more meaningful.
Stuart accidently discovered he was positive after undergoing a routine hospital admission test. While he remained asymptomatic, Molly was not as lucky and spent some time on oxygen. She found her recovery slow but says she is once again starting to feel her cheerful self.
They both agree that Hatzolah, a Jewish-based non-profit emergency rescue team, was amazing in the support they gave the Jayes during Molly’s illness.
Sixty years together is worth celebrating and the Hayes did so by each purchasing the other a brand-new, cherry red Mazda.
The couple met at a youth movement over a long weekend when Molly was 19 and Stuart 21. They share that while Molly took an instant dislike to Stuart, he never gave up and eventually won her over. They were married at the Observatory Synagogue in 1961.
The bulk of their married life was spent in a cluster complex in Linksfield, which overlooked Huddle Park Golf Course.
Stuart qualified as a chartered accountant while Molly started her career as a secretary doing shorthand and typing. She became a stay-at-home mom for a while but later joined her husband in his partnership, working for the other partner.
In his younger years, Stuart was a gymnast and then he took up road running, completing 12 Comrades Marathons. He was also a keen squash player. Molly, on the other hand, loves reading, plays Bridge and enjoys crosswords and Scrabble. She was a finalist on the TV show, A Word or Two’, hosted by Jeremy Mansfield.
Their greatest achievement, says Molly, is their offspring – ‘four gorgeous children and nine magnificent grandchildren’. Sadly, she says many of them live overseas.
Residents of Rand Aid’s Inyoni Creek for nine years, Stuart says the retirement village is ‘home’ and is made so by ‘the people, the staff, the gardens, the freedom and the great atmosphere’. “We couldn’t wish for a better place to be,” says Stuart.
Stuart (84) and Molly (82) Jayes recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary.
