Cootamundra’s Maureen and Richard Pigram have celebrated 60 “blessed” years together after their family members hosted a surprise diamond wedding anniversary party.
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Along with congratulatory letters from the Queen, Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack, the couple received a special certificate from Pope Francis.
Maureen said it was great to celebrate the anniversary .
“It was all a very big surprise, it was all a very big surprise for us,” she said.
“We got the blessing from the Pope, His Holiness,” Maureen said.
“We have had 60 very happy years, we have had four children and our beautiful grandchildren.
“We have been very blessed. It’s been a wonderful life, I can tell you that.”
Maureen and Richard attended their Debutante Ball together in Cootamundra back in the 1950s and were married at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church.
The couple’s bridesmaids and groomsmen were also all still around to help celebrate.
Richard working in a garage and pitched in with his ute to perform a lot of paper runs from Sydney to Cootamundra, from where the city newspapers were distributed across the Riverina, and Maureen worked for the telephone exchange.
One of the couple’s children Jenelle Hull said the surprise party worked out well.
“They knew we were coming home for Christmas and we were going out for lunch but not that everybody was assembled for a surprise party,” she said.