David and Val Van Weede, who are in their 90s, are this week celebrating their platinum wedding anniversary.
The couple, at retirement village Summerset by the Park on Chapel Road, have lived in Bucklands Beach for many years and their children attended school and worked in Howick.
The couple retain a large circle of friends with whom they keep in touch.
Dave, 93, and Val, 91, marked their 70th wedding anniversary yesterday (September 20) and have a special dinner planned.
They were married in Wellington in 1952 and, says daughter Carole Van Weede, have been happily married and in love the whole time, raising four children (three girls and a boy).
They have four grandchildren and in January have a great-grandchild arriving.
“Mum has very mild dementia (can still hold a conversation as long as she is clearly spoken to) and Dad is very active with everyone he meets, remembering peoples’ names wherever he goes and working through his computer, having gone to SeniorNet for many years,” Carole says.
“They are loved by their neighbours and staff at Summerset and everyone who meets them. Dad knows the Howick/Pakuranga area very well, is still friends with all the old neighbours and their families in Sorrel Crescent.”
The Van Weedes also lived in Golfland Drive and got to know their neighbours well and are still friends with one and keep in contact with others, some of whom are overseas. Get-togethers are their place were commonplace.
Dave, who gave time for Neighbourhood Support, was a Freemason and held office for a while. His propensity to help was well-known.
“The neighbour across the road in Sorrel Cres bought a bach up North so Dad freely went up with him to help with painting, roofing, etc on several occasions,” says Carole.
“As a mark of respect and love, our family are now invited to go up every year and spend some family time in the paradise that it is up at Matapouri Bay.”
“Mum stayed at home for us kids and Dad worked at Phillips (sound, lighting) and then as manager, Phillips Rentals in Auckland until retiring at age 60.
“His old work colleagues still remember him from when we were kids,” Carole says.
“He then worked at HMV (His Master’s Voice) at the time rock and roll music was becoming a hot thing. As the only production studio in New Zealand, he decided to hold back on Bill Hayley’s Rock Around the Clock to enable Johnny Cooper and the Maori Cowboys to produce a replica and make some money from it before releasing the international version.
“I was born just after that so I guess you could say I have rock and roll in my blood. The production he did was once in Motat for quite a long time.”
Dave had a couple of boats and loved fishing while Val was blessed with green fingers and won a few Gardens in the Street awards at both Sorrel Crescent and Golfland Drive.
