Blue Sapphire couple Stan and Mary are a match made in heaven

It was a football game which brought Stan and Mary Dick together and they have proved to be a match made in heaven ever since.

Stan (90), who lived in Melville Street as a boy, played football for Dunipace Juniors and Westquarter Violet after he was de-mobbed from the Army in 1948 after serving with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders in Palestine during World War Two.

Stan said: “We (the Violet) were playing a cup-tie against Plean and the women’s social club promised us a party if we won, which we did. Mary’s brother played with Plean and I asked him who he was taking to the party, and he said his sister, so I asked if he had a sister for me.

“I actually went with Mary’s sister Betty but went on to the dancing later on with Mary and that was that. We were courting for three years before I asked her to marry me and she said yes.”

The couple, who have lived in the same house in Polmont for the past 40 years, were married on March 15, 1952 at Redding & Westquarter Church where they have been lifelong members.

Mary (87), originally from Westquarter, is one of the church’s longest-serving members, while Stan, an elder, was given a certificate for 40 years service six years ago.

Stan served his time as an apprentice coach builder at Lawrie’s in Camelon before joining Alexander’s, now Alexander Dennis Ltd (ADL), which was called BHC at the time. Later in his working life he worked as a process operator at the BP site in Grangemouth.

Mary worked at the Falkirk Mail after she left school at the age of just 14 and was there until she married Stan in 1952

Mary and Stan have three sons – Ian (63), Bryan (61) and Graeme (49). The couple still care for Graeme who has Down’s Syndrome.

They also have four grandchildren and seven great grandchildren, the youngest of whom, a girl, was born last month.

The couple enjoy their caravan in Oban while Stan takes Falkirk supporter Graeme to the stadium for lunch and home games regularly.

Around 40 family members joined Stan and Mary to celebrate their anniversary at the Park Hotel for a lovely meal at the weekend.

Stan joked the secret to a long and happy marriage has been: “I just say ‘yes dear, no dear, you’re right dear’ and that keeps everyone happy.”

Mary said: “I think it’s because we have such a close and loving family, and that includes our daughters in law who are wonderful too.

“We are a very lucky couple to have such a great family and we have met a lot of amazing friends as well through caravan holidays and rallies.”