Colin and Lesley Gray celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary in Invercargill this week. PHOTO: TONI MCDONALD
"She just melted into my arms.
"We fell in love and we are still there," she said.
But Lesley Gray wondered if it was fate the couple would eventually marry at North Church on January 16, 1960.
The trainee nurse had been invited to dinner to meet a young survey cadet who had recently arrived in the city, coincidentally, the young man she was dancing with was also a survey cadet new to the city.
Survey cadets frequently worked out of town, slowing the blossoming romance down.
"With him being away a lot, we didn't see each other for the first wee while."
Both in their early 20s, they were still training for their careers, Mrs Gray was based at the Kew Hospital nurses' hostel and Mr Gray was travelling with his job.
"He wasn't even there for my graduation, he was in Wellington."
After an 18-month courtship and a 12-month engagement, a sunny day blessed their 11am wedding at the North Invercargill Presbyterian Church and Elmwood Gardens reception.
The couple set off in a borrowed Hillman Husky van for their camping honeymoon in Central Otago.
Camping continued to feature as a favoured family holiday throughout the years with Wānaka a favourite spot.
Colin and Lesley Gray were married at the North Invercargill Presbyterian Church on January 16, 1960. Taxi driver Pete Hanson quietly watched the romance blossom between the couple as he transported them on dates. The couple did not have a car, opting for taxis and always tried to get the same driver. Mr Hanson insisted he drove the couple on their wedding day.
Mrs Gray's nursing career was put on hold when the first of their four children arrived 18 months after their wedding.
"In those days, that what we did."
Four children, 10 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren later, family gatherings are important, but the couple have opted for a low-key 65th celebration after Mr Gray's well-attended and much-celebrated 90th birthday last year.
Mrs Gray believed the advice given to her before the wedding was one of the keys to their successful marriage _ and had been passed to her children and grandchildren.
"My father told us never to let the sun go down on our wrath and I believe that's really what's happened. We always talked about any issues. We never walked out on each other."
The couple always supported each other in their interests outside the home where teamwork made the dream work.
"It takes two to make a marriage and make it work.
"We both had interests we supported each other in, family, we both enjoyed gardening and Colin was really involved in athletics.
"We used to have the harriers leave from outside our place. Sometimes that meant making afternoon tea for 30 or 40 people, or going to pick up cups and things on the route out to Riverton. Or being there with the [territorial] army when they had a few activities.
"That's how we made friends, the people you were involved with in the community."
After 65 years, there were plenty of memories, but one stands out as significant.
"Standing on top of the Eiffel Tower ... Colin (who was afraid of heights) didn't want to go up to the top and I didn't want to go without him.
"He followed me ... that was special for me for him to come to the top of that."
He still recalls, without regrets, the view he thoroughly enjoyed.
- By Toni McDonald
