Former Ipswich mayor finds love

Former Ipswich mayor John Nugent and Elizabeth Lerch are preparing to marry.

Claudia Baxter

AS VALENTINE’S Day approaches Ipswich’s former mayor has proved love knows no age, moving on from tragedy and becoming engaged to his soul mate.

John Nugent, 75, who was mayor for nine years, approached Elizabeth Lerch four years ago and simply asked her for a coffee.

Now the pair is busy preparing their wedding after he proposed to her last year.

“I love talking to everyone and I saw her and just started talking to her,” Mr Nugent said.

“Within half an hour we knew what each other’s blood type was.

“People can go for a long time without knowing that sort of information about their partner, but we were immediately close.”

“Not to say we don’t have debates, because we do, but we know how to move on from them.”

Mr Nugent’s wife Glenis died in 2003. They had been together for more than forty years and raised two daughters and a son.

“When she died, I thought that’s it I’m not going to find anyone else that special,” Mr Nugent said.

“I had a few relationships after that with some different girls and none of them really worked out, but when I met Elizabeth we were instantly close.”

Ms Lerch, 70, said she fell for Mr Nugent immediately.

“I wasn’t looking for a relationship and it just sort of happened,” she said.

“We have the same views on a lot of things and he is great to talk to.”

Both of their families have been supportive.

“My family is scattered across the globe but they have been very supportive and so has Ipswich,” Ms Lerch said.

“Everywhere we go we receive congratulations, which is lovely.”

There is no set date for the wedding yet, but already Mr Nugent is feeling the stress.

“Becoming engaged is the easy bit now all this wedding stuff comes along and it’s quite difficult to organise,” he said.

Mr Nugent had some advice for young lovers out there.

“Don’t get married too quickly,” he said.

“That happens a lot these days. People rush into it and when trouble comes along they don’t enough about their partner and conflicts drag on.”