DES and Doreen Stone celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary on April 9. The Wangaratta couple first met playing tennis, a pastime and passion they shared for years to come. They were married in 1955 at the Cathedral Church in Wangaratta and lived at Londrigan before moving to Wangaratta about 1981. Des was a well-known jockey and bookmaker while Doreen worked at Tippings Deli and Paula Gaye Frocks. The couple had three children; Christine, Gary and Sharon. Apart from tennis, the couple also enjoyed greyhound racing and horse racing together for many years and separately Doreen also played netball while Des was a renowned footballer, cricketer, baseballer, squash player and golfer. In 1999, the late Bill O'Callaghan described Des in his O'Cal's Corner column in the Wangaratta Chronicle as one of the best sporting all-rounders in the district, excelling at anything he tried with highlights including two O&K football premierships with Tarrawingee, 300 games for the Bulldogs, four time successive Wangaratta District Baseball Association premiership player, captained the baseball representative side, twice Wangaratta Lawn Tennis Club doubles champion, and was a member of the lawn team that won the B Grade Country Week tennis title played at Kooyong. Doreen won two WLTC ladies championships and was runner-up to Margaret Smith (now Court) in the ANA singles final in Wangaratta. The couple received congratulatory messages from The King, The Prime Minister, The Premier and many other dignitaries. Des turned 90 in January and has been in care for almost six years while Doreen will be 94 in November and still resides in the family unit. The couple celebrated the occasion with family including warm best wishes from Christine, Gary and Sharon.
