SOME love stories begin with grand gestures while others begin quietly, almost by accident and yet grow into something extraordinary.
For David and Irene Glen, of Collingwood Park, their story began in 1954 with a simple favour between friends that changed the course of two lives forever.
David, then serving in the Gordon Highlanders, a proud Scottish Army regiment, agreed to take a friend’s place on a blind date. He arrived expecting an evening of polite conversation. Instead, he met Irene, the woman who would become his lifelong companion, confidante, and the love of his life.
Two years later, on May 19, 1956, they married.
By November 1958, with courage and hope guiding them, David and Irene embarked on a new adventure, immigrating to Brisbane with their young daughter Eileen.
There, they reunited with Irene’s parents, Jim and Jean Watt, and began building the foundations of a life that would span continents, careers, and generations.
David’s employer, Business Equipment, soon transferred the young family to Toowoomba, where they lived for two years before returning to Brisbane.
In 1960, they purchased their first home in Inala, a milestone that coincided with the arrival of their second daughter, Catherine, followed by their third daughter, Jeanette, in 1965.
Life took them north to Cairns from 1970 to 1972, before they settled once again in Brisbane in 1973.
Their determination and teamwork eventually led David to open his own business, Suburban Office Machines.
When computers began to dominate the industry, he adapted once more, becoming a cement miller at Darra Cement Co., where he worked until his retirement in 1998 at age 63.
In 1995, David and Irene purchased a block of land in Collingwood Park and built their forever home two years later, a place filled with laughter, art, family gatherings, and the quiet comfort of a life well lived.
They became active members of 60 and Better Ipswich, where they played and organised table tennis for many years. David, a talented artist, also spent countless hours painting with the Ipswich Art Club, finding joy in creativity and community.
Their family grew to include seven grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren, each one adding new layers of love and pride to their lives. Alongside the joy, they also faced profound heartbreak with the loss of their beloved daughter Cathy and son in law Bob in 2014.
Today, Irene resides in an aged care facility while David remains in their Collingwood Park home, but their bond remains as strong as ever.
This year, surrounded by family and friends, David and Irene will celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary.
