75 years of marriage celebrated
Theo and Mary Staples went to the same primary school but didn’t know they’d spend their lives together until they met as adults at the Ashburton swimming baths.
Now, aged 100 and 99, on Monday they celebrated 75 years of marriage. ‘‘It was a long time ago now,’’ Mary said from their living room in their Molly Ryan retirement villa in New Plymouth, their home for the last five years.
‘‘We’ve been a long way in that time.’’ When they married at the Ashburton Presbyterian Church on New Year’s Eve 1943, aged 25 and 24, New Zealand and the Allies were at war with Germany and Japan, and Theo was in the Air Force.
‘‘Theo had a fortnight’s holiday, a fortnight away from the Air Force, and so it was then that we just got married and he went back to the Air Force,’’ Mary said.
The couple have two children, Jocelyn and Aubrey, and now have eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
Queen Elizabeth was just one
of many people to send them cards of congratulations for their 75th milestone, while Theo marked the occasion with a beautiful bouquet for Mary.
Theo was a music teacher after leaving the military and taught in Dunedin and Palmerston North, and also went to England on a British Council scholarship for a few years.
He was still teaching the violin at 90.
‘‘They’ve both been very involved in music.
‘‘I think that’s been the glue,’’ daughter Jocelyn Beath said.
Theo said his wife had taken good care of him.
‘‘She certainly has, and she’s never once complained.
‘‘Whenever I work out the number of meals that Mary has cooked for me I feel quite guilty about it,’’ he said.
‘‘I’ve had good health and
‘‘Make the most of every day, every moment.’’ Mary Staples
Mary’s had good health; we’ve been lucky.’’
‘‘Make the most of every day, every moment,’’ Mary added.
Theo said it had been a ‘‘more interesting world’’ years ago.
‘‘I think people did things for themselves and to help each other out. I remember carting food out to people who didn’t have enough to eat.
‘‘The world has changed a bit in 100 years.
‘‘The depression in the 1930s was an eye-opener to everybody who lived through it,’’ he said.