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- By PJ Taylor
If you’re planning to wed or just starting out in a life together, Stan and Alma O’Brien have wise words to heed.
Now living in east Auckland, Stan, 92, and Alma, 91, grew up in Onewhero.
“Communication is number one in a marriage,” they told the Times when visiting them at their home soon after their 70th wedding anniversary on April 7.
Seven decades of marriage equates to a platinum anniversary, and special cards from King Charles III and Queen Camilla, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Minister for Seniors Casey Costello, to mention a few.
Last Saturday they were surrounded by family and friends to celebrate the magnificent matrimonial milestone at Howick Bowling Club.
Stan and Alma became engaged in 1954. Those were the days when country communities congregated at the popular Saturday night dances of the post Second World War years.
“We met through one of Stan’s sisters,” Alma says, and they were married at St Andrew’s Catholic Church at Tuakau in 1956.
“Everyone in Onewhero knew everybody there,” says Stan.
Fast-forward 70 years, the couple has a large family they’re very proud of consisting six children – three boys and three girls; 12 grandchildren – six boys and six girls; and seven great-grandchildren – four girls and three boys.
“We have a big and very close family,” says Alma. “We’re very appreciative that they all get on well and they’re working together.
“We try to follow our wedding vows and have always discussed decisions together.”
One of their daughters is Maree Peary, of east Auckland home specialists Style + Soul and contributor to the Times.
Stan and Alma lived in Papatoetoe for 40 years until a decade ago when they moved eastwards “to be closer to family here”.
With both coming from large families and having their own, they still contributed to the safe welfare of other young ones by being foster parents to many, “because we loved children and there was a need to provide a safe house”.
Earlier in their marriage, they say they enjoyed stints sharemilking at Kaiaua on the Firth of Thames, and then back over the hills at Hunua for five years, before moving into Papakura, where Stan set about working as a farm machinery serviceman.
They both had various jobs, and Stan finished up working for Manukau City Council before retirement.
He’s had his health issues throughout his long life and says of the care and medical treatment he’s received: “We’re very fortunate in this country to get assistance. I’ve got no complaints.”
