Kapiti Couple Celebrate 65 Years of Marriage

Achieving 65 years of marriage is no small achievement as accolades from international and national leaders testify. Amidst an impressive collection of cards on display in Forster’s lounge, there is a congratulations card from the Palace from King Charles and Queen Camilla along with a 60th anniversary acknowledgement from Queen Elizabeth II. Recent official cards are from Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, Governor General Dame Cindy Kiro, and the Minister for Seniors Hon Ginny Andersen.

George and Daphne met at a Methodist ‘Winter School’ (a live-in study programme for youth) at Bridge Lodge, Otaki in 1953. They married in the Petone Methodist Church in 1958 and in January the following year they went to Samoa for four years, under an Australian mission scheme. George taught in a Methodist Primary School. Daphne gave birth to two sons. Their daughter was born after George resumed teaching in New Zealand.

As an accredited lay preacher, George led services for 50 years. Daphne completed 33 years as a Girls’ Brigade Officer. Both did some Sunday School teaching. For 17 years they helped organise and cook for Church family camps. Methodist Family Camps held in the summer holidays at Whangārei, Hamilton, Rotorua, New Plymouth, Hastings, Waikanae, Motueka, Dunedin and Queenstown were very popular in the 60s, 70s and 80s giving Methodist families all over NZ the opportunity to holiday together informally with communal meals provided.

George chaired the Property Committee at Kapiti Uniting for some years and was a parish representative to the Wellington Synod. Their hobbies include wood-turning and handcrafts - knitting, sewing, embroidery and restoring old linen. Over 20 years of supporting Kapiti Uniting Parish’s church fairs with their skills they personally raised thousands of dollars.