Teamwork the key to 74 years of marriage

Sylvia and Tom Piercy say their 74-year marriage is all down to team work. Photo/ Amy Diamond

The year is 1943 in Liverpool, England.

Tom Piercy has been posted here as a Sergeant in the Royal Air Force after returning from an overseas post.

The 25-year-old walks into the local pub and sees three women sitting together, but only one catches his eye.

Sylvia Barnett.

This very same night Tom and Sylvia go to the local dance together and every other dance for the rest of their lives.

Fast forward to yesterday and a card from the Queen congratulating the couple on their 74th wedding anniversary sits on the table.

Sylvia and Tom are sitting at Bethlehem Views sipping on freshly brewed tea and enjoying mini chocolate eclairs.

"I really like eclairs," Sylvia says as she is dished another.

Sylvia has dementia and has lived at the rest home for about a year, Tom lives in the couple's townhouse in Tauranga central but visits her at least three times a week.

Tauranga MP Simon Bridges pops in for a cup of tea and adds a card to the collection.

Tom says he knew Sylvia was the one the first time they met back in England.

"We got married quickly because we didn't want to miss each other or get split up because of the war."

The couple married in Liverpool on December 4, 1943, and a year later their only child Marshall was born.

After World War II ended Tom says the pair worked hard to save enough money to move to New Zealand.

Sylvia was born in Palmerston North and Tom's grandfather, who described New Zealand as "God's own country", was born here too.

The couple and their son Marshall made the trip by sea in 1956, stopping at Melbourne and Sydney on the way.

Tom says their "wonderful" life was spent in Auckland initially, then the couple moved to Tauranga about 35 years ago to retire.

With a background in engineering and mechanics, Tom says he retired when he was 62.

"That's too young to retire," Sylvia cuts in laughing.

Their wedding anniversary is not the only milestone this month - December 27 is Tom's 100th birthday.

"I don't know where the years have gone," Tom says with warmth in his eyes.

The couple has a large family despite only having one son, with two granddaughters and seven great-grandchildren.

Tom's granddaughter is expected to come to Tauranga for the birthday celebrations, along with an afternoon tea with his neighbour Angela Dold and a get together at Tauranga South Bowling Club - where you will still find Tom every Friday night.

So what is the secret to their 74-year marriage?

"We've always been a team and we still are," says Tom.