Hawke’s Bay couple to celebrate 80 years of marriage

Jeff and Dawn Laurent are celebrating a remarkable milestone. Photo / Supplied

Jeff and Dawn Laurent are about to celebrate 80 years of marriage, potentially making them Hawke’s Bay’s longest-married couple.

The pair initially met at a Saturday night Catholic dance at Foresters’ Hall and married in the original St Patrick’s Church in Napier on March 3, 1945 - aged 20 and 18 respectively.

When they met, during World War II, Dawn was manpowered to work at the Masonic Hotel as a housemaid for mainly military servicemen, while Jeff was stationed in Hawke’s Bay waiting to be shipped out with the army.

Fortunately for the family, that never happened.

Jeff, now 100, and Dawn, 98, still live in the same house in Napier they have called home for decades.

Their proud family are planning a celebration to mark the incredible milestone.

“Family is what has always mattered to mum and dad and we have shared some wonderful times over the years, and this milestone is another good reason for a Laurent celebration,” daughter Deborah said.

Their children also praised their parents' generosity and kindness, as well as never being too busy for them.

Jeff and Dawn Laurent (centre) during their wedding in 1945. Photo / Supplied

Their secret, of sorts, for a successful marriage has been never to go to bed on an argument.

Joffre, best known as Jeff to his family and friends, comes from a long line of French ancestors and was born in New Plymouth in 1924.

Doreen, known as Dawn to her family and friends, was born in Greymouth in 1926 and comes from English ancestry.

They have seven children, 10 grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren.

In their early years of marriage, they lived near Lake Waikaremoana, where Jeff was employed by the Ministry of Works on the development of the power station.

Two daughters later, they moved back to Napier where they have been based since.

So what do you gift someone for an 80th wedding anniversary? Tradition suggests something in oak.