Guy and Gwen Palmer have had their ashes spread in Harvey with family and friends remembering 73 years of love

One of Harvey’s most cherished couples have had their ashes returned to the town last week as their daughter remembers the decades of love they shared with all.

Harvey stalwarts Guy and Gwen Palmer left their beloved town in 2023 to be close to family in Melbourne, with both passing away earlier this year.

Their surviving daughter Julie Palmer returned the pair to Harvey last week, scattering their ashes in the town they both loved, as per her parents’ final wishes.

Guy was born in Harvey, with his family fundamental to the growth of Harvey from rural farmland to the community it is today, while Gwen was born in Goomalling, north of Perth.

The pair both left their hometowns in their 20s and had a true fairy tale meeting at a ballroom dance in 1950.

In previous interviews, Guy described their meeting as the “highlight of my life”.

Julie said her father’s retelling of their first meeting always came across as a “romantic meeting”.

“They met, and then exactly 12 months later they were married,” she said.

The pair would stay together their entire lives, celebrating their 73rd anniversary this year.

Julie said her mother told stories of first meeting Guy’s family, getting an enormous hug from his father who welcomed her into the family right away.

“She immediately felt like part of the family,” she said.

“She said it was the most wonderful, warm family and she loved visiting them.”

Three years later they would have their only daughter Julie, who remembered her early years adventuring across the country in a caravan.

“We spent a lot of years travelling, visiting my cousins in Harvey,” she said.

“We spent many-a-time in Harvey, Binningup and Myalup.”

In 1996, Gwen and Guy retired and returned to Harvey to become fixtures in the community, diving into social clubs around the town.

“Mum and dad got involved in all sorts of activities,” Julie said.

“They did lawn bowling, volunteered as a bus driver for the shire and they did art classes.”

Julie said her father found particular joy in drawing and would frequently draw many “beautiful things” from landscapes to native animals.

“He loved drawing whatever he could find,” she said.

She also said he the pair could be found in town with friends making every situation a social occasion.

“Dad liked to talk, I know he loved talking to people,” she said.

“Whenever I’d visit, a five minute trip down town would end up being more like half an hour because there’d be someone stopping and chatting to him along the way.

“He would sit outside the IGA and people would leave their shopping with dad to look after when they went off to do some other chores, because they knew he’d look after it.”

Guy was also a dedicated member of the Harvey Lodge, with his father Henry a foundation member and the Palmer family even donating the land where the building now stands.

For his dedication to the lodge, Guy received both his 60 and 65-year service jewel and earned his 70-year jewel in February this year. He sadly died before it could be presented to him.

In her trip to return the couple’s ashes, Julie accepted the jewel on her father’s behalf for the recognition of his many years as a member.

“My return was full of very happy memories,” she said.

“Lots of people came and told me lovely stories about them.

“It was very heartwarming, to see how much they were loved.”