Sharing and caring secret to success of 70-year marriage

Don and Dorothy Smythe at home yesterday (left) celebrating the 70th anniversary of their wedding. Picture / Dean Purcell

They met in a crowded Onehunga dance hall. She thought, "He looks nice". He had similar thoughts about her but knew he had competition.

But yesterday Dorothy and Don Smythe celebrated what very few New Zealand couples manage - 70 years of marriage.

They married at St Peter's Anglican Church in Onehunga when Mr Smythe was 21 and the then Dorothy Rice was 19.

A seamstress, the bride made her own wedding dress out of blue and white crepe and wore a little white Panama hat, white gloves and white shoes and held a large bunch of Christmas lilies. Her father, a baker, made the cake.

Because it was still the Depression they could not take a honeymoon. The Smythes went on to have seven children in quick succession, four boys and three girls.

"Don wanted another to balance it out but I wasn't keen," said Mrs Smythe.

Now with 22 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren, they are the only couple of their friends who have made it to a 70th wedding anniversary.

Yesterday the couple said their platinum partnership had survived by sharing their family responsibilities, living within their means, and agreeing to disagree when necessary.

They had a big family celebration in Devonport last weekend, fittingly at the beach.

"We had all our children's birthdays at the beach when they were growing up," said Mrs Smythe.

Their 70th anniversary is an accomplishment that will become increasingly rare.

Statistics New Zealand reports the median age of first-time grooms in 2004 was 29.9 years and for brides 28.1 years.

Mrs Smythe said she didn't expect a diamond ring yesterday - she's already been given a few as well as a ruby and an emerald.

The couple were more chuffed to get a congratulatory letter from the Queen.

They also got letters marking the occasion from Prime Minister Helen Clark, Governor-General Dame Silvia Cartwright, local MP Mark Gosche and Internal Affairs Minister Rick Barker.

And a good old sing-a-long from the neighbours, who knocked on the door at 7am, laden down with gifts, singing, "For you are jolly good fellows".