Community service the secret to Kempsey couple Fay and John Bowell's 70-year marriage

Fay and John Bowell celebrate 70 years married on January 31.

The couple say they don't have plans for the anniversary "other than being together."

The pair have been together for 75 years. Their five-year courtship began in their city of birth, Newcastle, where they met while working at a stadium.

"John took people's tickets and I took them to their seats," said Mrs Bowell.

The working relationship quickly turned romantic as the pair accompanied by friends and family, frequented the Savoy Theatre every weekend.

"We didn't go out alone for a very long time," said Mrs Bowell.

"We started to go to the Savoy theatre... they had reserved seats in the front row upstairs and we used to go every Saturday night," said Mr Bowell.

In 1953, the couple were married just three days after Mr Bowell's 21^st birthday.

Mr Bowell celebrated his 91^st last week on January 28 with his wife's 91^st birthday coming up in March.

The couple agree that one important factor in their long-lived partnership is the sharing of a common interest; their community.

The couple moved to Kempsey in 1958 and over the decades they have had a positive impact on the shire.

Mr Bowell served for 17 years on Kempsey Shire Council, including five years as mayor and two years as deputy mayor.

Mrs Bowell taught swimming lessons for 50 years in Kempsey, first at the local pool and then in her backyard. She also helped start Saturday morning netball for the kids of Kempsey as treasurer alongside president Pam Guyer.

"We used to have all the schools [attend] and had the nuns running up the sideline with their rosemary beads cheering the kids on," she said.

In what Mrs Bowell calls the "good old days", the adults paid 20 cents to play netball on a Saturday and for the kids, it was a mere five cents.

Mrs Bowell, who describes herself as a "mother of a sports family", is a life member of both the pool and netball club in Kempsey. Mr Bowell is also a life member of Kempsey pool.

With Mr Bowell's long career in local government and Mrs Bowell's part in local sports clubs, it is no surprise the couple have been awarded for their contribution to the community.

Mr Bowell received an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in 2015 and Mrs Bowell received a Local Hero Award soon after.

"It's been a wonderful community to be a part of," said Mrs Bowell.

With the help of their daughter Liz, the husband and wife are now packing up their South Kempsey home, which they built in 1959, preparing for a move to Singleton to be closer to family.

"Our youngest boy and his son together with his son... we've been invited to join that part of the family... so we'll have four generations on the one property," said Mr Bowell.

The couple have three children Liz, Pete and John and sadly lost their son David James when he was just four weeks old. They are grandparents to five grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

They are proud parents saying they have always been interested in their kids' lives and have helped them whenever needed.

According to Mr Bowell, the secret to a lasting marriage is "say what you say when you want to say it".

"Look, we've argued, that's natural, but we've loved each other, and we've got three products to prove it," he said.

Mrs Bowell believes a successful marriage comes down to knowing when to let things go.

"[It's knowing when] to let it go over your head, I'll argue back I can tell you, but I don't let things worry me," she said.

Their daughter Liz thinks it might be knowing when to wear hearing aids and when not to.

She does however note their lasting affection for one another.

"All of my friends always notice, and I notice too. Still, to this day, mum and dad hold hands walking down the street."

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