BETTER late than never has never been more an apt saying when it comes to Dulcie Good and John Mulder. writes Carly Helweg.
The couple finally tied the knot last Saturday, 62 years after they first became engaged in a ceremony held at the Church of Christ in Ocean Grove.
Dulcie, 83 and John 82, first met at 16 years old and were together for three years. They planned to marry but their parents were adamant they were too young and the couple eventually went their separate ways losing track of each other for over 60 years
Dulcie always knew there was something special about her first love even though she was happily married with children. “There was always something, you know, every now and again something would come into my mind,” she said fiddling with the blue opal pendant that John gave her on her 21st birthday.
Dulcie kept the pendant throughout the years reminding her of John. “I’d get it out every now and again and wear it,” she said. From the couple’s reunion in July of this year, the pendant hasn’t come off Dulcie’s neck. “When we met again it’s stayed on and hasn’t come off,” she said.
John planned to replace the pendant with a new one on their wedding day to commemorate the start of the next chapter of their lives together.
John recalls the exact date of their chance reunion on July 27 of this year. Both attended a memorial service for a mutual friend at their original church in North Geelong. Intending to find Dulcie again, John went to the service hoping to run into her. Not knowing her married name proved a problem though and after some initial inquiries at the service, John was told that Dulcie had passed away 13 years ago.
“When he heard that news he thought ‘ohh that’s it I won’t find her now’,” said Dulcie.
Heartbroken, John went to leave the service where out of 200 people, he ran into the friend Dulcie had come with who then re-introduced them.
Not recognising each other at first, it wasn’t until Dulcie asked the gentleman’s name that they were properly reunited. “I believe we put on quite a show,” she said. “And we just knew as soon as we met that yes we’re going to go through with it this time.”
Even though they both knew they were going to finish what they had begun all those years ago, Dulcie still insisted on a traditional proposal.
“I said hang on I haven’t heard the question yet,” Dulcie said. After John got down on one knee, Dulcie couldn’t help showing her wicked sense of humour. “Oh John this is so sudden,” she replied after he popped the question.
“Then I said yes quickly in case he changed his mind,” she said.
The sun shone down over the first wedding ever held at the Tareeda way church and the happy couple couldn’t keep their eyes off each other as they held hands throughout the ceremony.
Wearing a rose pink robe over a champagne dress Dulcie had kept the colour of her dress a secret from everyone so that John would be surprised when she walked down the aisle on the day.
“It had to be pink, (John’s) memories of me are in a pink satin dress at my 21st birthday party,” she said. In awe of his bride, John couldn’t keep his eyes off of Dulcie throughout the day. “I don’t think I saw her lovelier than today,” he said.
Their children gave both of them away with Dulcie’s son Greg Pope travelling all the way from Thursday Island to walk his mum down the aisle. “It’s pretty awesome, they’re very very happy,” Greg said.
Dulcie and her maid of honour Beverley Kilsby both carried a bouquet of red, pink and yellow roses grown in John’s garden. John’s son Greg Mulder was Best Man and pointed out what every wedding guest could see. “I’ve never seen him happier,” he said.
When asked if he took Dulcie as his lawfully wedded wife, John jokingly replied, “I’ve waited a long time and I certainly will.”
The couple are convinced that their love was meant to be and after 62 years of waiting, who can blame them? “I lost her once, I’m not going to lose her again,” John said with a smile.
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