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I hope you’ll indulge me today, dear readers, because I want to tell you a little story – a very small slice of the life of Joan Bentson (nee Staines) – otherwise known as my Granny.

To tell her whole life would be the work of years, so today I’m just going to tell you a little bit about what I believe was the most important part of it – her marriage to an American interloper known as Bill Bentson.

You see, Joan was born here in Brisbane, and when she was 17, she happened to go to a dance one night. At this dance, she met a young American soldier – here as one of General MacArthur’s staff during WWII. There was a lot of tension in those days between the American troops stationed in Brissie and the local boys – because the Americans were so handsome, well-groomed and polite, and the Aussie girls were falling for them head-over-heels!

Well, happily for her, and for all of us who have been born of that dance-hall meeting – she was one of them! After a brief courtship, she became one of many hundreds of War Brides in 1943, and she and Bill returned to the US after the war was over.

Their marriage lasted 68 years, with 3 children, 5 grandchildren, and 5 great-grandchildren (and counting!). Here they are in 1995, looking spiffy for a special dinner – most likely at the Club Gramps belonged to.

And here, just a few years ago, with her first great-grandchild, little Mary.

Granny did many things in her life – she travelled the world, brought her children up in another country before returning to Brisbane, Australia in the 60’s (where we all still live).

But I guess, to me, she was just always there. For exactly 30 years of my life – from the day I was born to the early morning after the day I turned 30 (I am the youngest of her grandchildren). Always there when I knocked on her door for a visit.

We would sit in the sunroom in the back of their house in Toowong, with a cup of tea and the jar of cookies. Or, if I turned up at lunchtime, she would insist I have a sandwich. Usually with ham, cheese, and proper whole-egg mayonnaise.

She may be gone now, and Gramps is in a nursing home, so I know I’ll never see this scene again, but I can see it so clearly in my memory, as I did so many times in my life.

Both of them, sitting at that table. The sun is streaming in, while Gramps reads the paper and Granny does the crossword. They are quiet, and together, and happy. And really, that says it all.

Together, and happy.

What more could you ask for?

Joan Bentson (nee Staines).

July 28th, 1925 – April 27th, 2011.