Mr Richardson (89) and Mrs Richardson (85) have been married for 65 yearsHe first laid eyes on her at a friend's 21st birthday dance, in Dunedin, when he and his ''cobbers'' were fresh out of the air force after a year-long posting in the Pacific during World War 2.
''When I saw Kath I thought that's the sort of girl I'd like.''
There was one small problem though - she was ''keen on'' someone else.
They danced three dances together that night but ''I think Kath was getting sick of me''.
''Well I had been getting on quite well with somebody else,'' she said.
After another night out dancing, he popped the question although she was not quite sure what he meant.
''I seem to remember saying, 'Do you think we could be partners' or, 'Do you think we would make a good partnership','' he said.
''So I told him I would have to think about it. Two days later, he turned up with a big bag of chocolate,'' she said.
''I thought surely she couldn't resist ... she accepted and it was a sigh of relief I tell you, a sigh of relief,'' Mr Richardson said as his wife disappeared, returning with a frame containing faded photographs of the handsome pair taken after their engagement.
''That girl's gorgeous,'' he said, eyes glistening and hands shaking while looking at the photo, ''and she still is,'' he added with a wide grin as she began to chuckle.
They were married on April 17, 1948, in the Musselburgh Presbyterian Church. Mrs Richardson had been studying to become a kindergarten teacher but gave that up when the couple had three daughters, Diana, Pauline and Janet, a son, Graham, and then another girl, Annette, ''in fairly quick succession''.
Mr Richardson had been studying carpentry through a government-run scheme specifically for ex-servicemen and built three houses within 10 years, all in Dunedin, for his family.
He had always wanted to be a farmer, though, and they were offered an opportunity on an orchard in Earnscleugh.
It was a small, 8ha mixed fruit orchard on Strode Rd and it was hard work, especially when it came to frost fighting which, in those days, was done with oil pots.
''It was just terrible, you had to wipe everything down,'' he said.
In 1968, eight years later, with the children growing up and about to leave home to study, they returned to Dunedin, moving back to Central Otago and settling in Alexandra in 1985.
Despite their age, they keep busy. Still keen on carpentry, Mr Richardson ''potters around'' and played bowls and golf until recently. Mrs Richardson belongs to a wool spinners and weavers club and they are both members of Probus and a gardening club.
So, what do the Richardsons think it takes to make a successful marriage?
Love, laughter and compost.
''My father was a keen composter and we had a dinner to welcome this new chap [Nevis] into the family and Dad gave a speech and said a successful marriage is founded on the compost heap.
''We have been keen composters ... and have had chooks most of our married life,'' she said.
The couple have 14 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren and celebrated their anniversary with some of their family last weekend.
