Rest of their lives together: Chris and Ann finally getting wed
BPM
It’s hardly surprising that love-struck pensioner Chris Green had almost given up hope of convincing his other half Ann Turner to marry him.
Since the couple bought an engagement ring almost 40 years ago, Chris had asked her hundreds of times to walk down the aisle – but she kept knocking him back.
Retired miner Chris decided to give it one more go as he celebrated his 75th birthday in their local pub – and to his amazement Ann, 72, finally said yes.
The grandparents will finally exchange vows on Friday in an emotional church service surrounded by friends and family.
Relieved Chris joked: “If I’d known it would take 40 years I might not have bothered asking.
“I’ve asked her on countless occasions to be my bride, and each time she turned me down.
"I thought she’d never say the words ‘I will’.”
The couple had both been married before when they met in 1973. Smitten widower Chris proposed within two years.
Ann refused to say yes but agreed to choose an engagement ring, which they bought in 1975 for £25.
But Chris was in for a shock if he thought it was a sign that their nuptials were just around the corner.
Ann said her constant refusal to get hitched became a running joke.
She added: “He’d ask me constantly. We’d be at dinner, or sitting in the garden, or on holiday, and the answer was always the same – no.
“I would even be hanging out the washing and he would say, ‘Will you marry me?’.
"I’d tell him ‘No, I’m too busy’, and laugh it off. The real reason is that the timing was never right.
"I have four children from a previous relationship and so does Chris, so we’ve watched them get marry instead.
“I felt guilty saying ‘no’ all the time and he’d look heartbroken. But over time it became a joke between us.
“We bought an engagement ring in 1975 but it had been so long it didn’t fit any more so I threw it away.
“Chris had also bought me a wedding ring to try to convince me to say yes. That was also thrown away because it was too small.”
Ann finally said yes “on the spur of the moment” when Chris got down on one knee at the pub in November.
“The look on his face was priceless, and everyone was cheering,” she said. “The timing just felt right. And it had been a tough year, so we needed something to cheer us up.
“A number of our children have been fighting heart disease and cancer in the past 12 months. We wanted it right for them.
“While I’ve always been happy to feel that we were married – except on paper – it made me realise the children really wanted us to be a proper couple, as in man and wife.
“We have certainly loved, honoured and obeyed each other these last 40 years.”
The couple, of Tamworth, Staffs, bought new rings and they cannot wait to walk down the aisle in nearby Harlaston.
Among the guests will be their children, 12 grandkids and two great-grandchildren.
Former care worker Ann said: “I would dream about our wedding and knew it would happen one day.”
She said Chris’s pals might have “some surprises” for him at his stag-do, adding: “I just hope that after waiting 40 years, he gets to the church on time.”
* How our sister website the Birmingham Mail is reporting the story.
Since the couple bought an engagement ring almost 40 years ago, Chris had asked her hundreds of times to walk down the aisle – but she kept knocking him back.
Retired miner Chris decided to give it one more go as he celebrated his 75th birthday in their local pub – and to his amazement Ann, 72, finally said yes.
The grandparents will finally exchange vows on Friday in an emotional church service surrounded by friends and family.
Relieved Chris joked: “If I’d known it would take 40 years I might not have bothered asking.
“I’ve asked her on countless occasions to be my bride, and each time she turned me down.
"I thought she’d never say the words ‘I will’.”
The couple had both been married before when they met in 1973. Smitten widower Chris proposed within two years.
Ann refused to say yes but agreed to choose an engagement ring, which they bought in 1975 for £25.
But Chris was in for a shock if he thought it was a sign that their nuptials were just around the corner.
Ann said her constant refusal to get hitched became a running joke.
She added: “He’d ask me constantly. We’d be at dinner, or sitting in the garden, or on holiday, and the answer was always the same – no.
“I would even be hanging out the washing and he would say, ‘Will you marry me?’.
"I’d tell him ‘No, I’m too busy’, and laugh it off. The real reason is that the timing was never right.
"I have four children from a previous relationship and so does Chris, so we’ve watched them get marry instead.
“I felt guilty saying ‘no’ all the time and he’d look heartbroken. But over time it became a joke between us.
“We bought an engagement ring in 1975 but it had been so long it didn’t fit any more so I threw it away.
“Chris had also bought me a wedding ring to try to convince me to say yes. That was also thrown away because it was too small.”
Ann finally said yes “on the spur of the moment” when Chris got down on one knee at the pub in November.
“The look on his face was priceless, and everyone was cheering,” she said. “The timing just felt right. And it had been a tough year, so we needed something to cheer us up.
“A number of our children have been fighting heart disease and cancer in the past 12 months. We wanted it right for them.
“While I’ve always been happy to feel that we were married – except on paper – it made me realise the children really wanted us to be a proper couple, as in man and wife.
“We have certainly loved, honoured and obeyed each other these last 40 years.”
The couple, of Tamworth, Staffs, bought new rings and they cannot wait to walk down the aisle in nearby Harlaston.
Among the guests will be their children, 12 grandkids and two great-grandchildren.
Former care worker Ann said: “I would dream about our wedding and knew it would happen one day.”
She said Chris’s pals might have “some surprises” for him at his stag-do, adding: “I just hope that after waiting 40 years, he gets to the church on time.”
* How our sister website the Birmingham Mail is reporting the story.
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