“Geoff and I met at a local youth club. We became friends and then a couple. We were married in 1960, Geoff was 22 and I was 23. We bought our first home, which cost £2,250 and managed to pay a deposit of £450. There was no money left for furnishings, we had great excitement a year later when we bought our first fitted carpet; we danced on it in our bare feet!
We are different personalities; Geoff is easy going, he’s the life and soul of the party with a smile that lights up the room. He loves all sports – you name it, he’s played it! I on the other hand aren’t really interested in sport, I love classical music and was a singer and pianist. On the whole, we respected each other’s interests although, I sometimes became irritated by the amount of time Geoff spent playing sport but, he always attended concerts and recitals where I was singing.
As early as 2012, we became aware that all was not well with Geoff’s memory but, it wasn’t until 2019 that he was diagnosed with vascular dementia. With the help of friends, family, and carers, we struggled to care for him at home. In January 2021, Geoff became a resident at the Boynes, where he is cared for by the wonderful staff.
During our long marriage, we have rarely been apart. I miss him so much and grieve for the man he was. Dementia is a cruel disease, but I am thankful that Geoff still knows me and ‘light’s up’ when he sees me. Despite the changes, he is still my Geoff and I’m his Mu.
We have been married for 63 years, we still love each other, and he remains my loving husband and best friend!”
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