Rotorua John and Pat Wyatt celebrate special 50-year milestone

Pat and John Wyatt at their 50th wedding anniversary evening dinner, along with best man and MC Kerin Buttimore (right). Photo / Supplied

Local couple Pat and John Wyatt have been there for each other "through thick and thin", and recently had a special evening celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary.

John and Pat's whole married life has been in Rotorua, and they celebrated on the special day with 50 family members and friends at Parksyde Community Centre for dinner.

The couple were married on May 15, 1971, at Te Puke Methodist Church, with the reception at Te Puke Memorial Hall.

Pat says they had a great time at the anniversary celebration, and one of their nephews played the piano accordion and sang lovely music as part of the evening which was special.

Both Pat and John worked as primary school teachers when they met.

John was working at Westbrook Primary School and Pat was working at Malfroy Primary School when they both landed on the same bus trip together.

"We were taking pupils over to Tauranga to see the Queen and it grew from there."

She recalls their wedding day being a beautiful one.

Cubs from various cub packs in Rotorua at the time attended Pat and John Wyatt's wedding. Photo / Supplied

They spent many years as part of the local Scouts, and a highlight of their wedding was when a couple of bus loads of 8 to 10-year-old Cubs arrived.

"I didn't know anything about it and they formed a guard of honour, and that was really special."

John and Pat have been extensively involved in the Rotorua community over the years, and still are in many ways.

Pat is part of Zonta Rotorua and is heavily involved in the local netball administration.

John has been a Lion member for 35 years and is currently the club admin at Rotorua East Lions.

He is also a life member of Camp Quality for children living with cancer, and helps out with the gardening at Rotorua Methodist Church.

Both spent years in secretary and treasurer roles for the New Zealand Educational Institute.

John says he spent 30 years at Lynmore Primary School as a teacher and then the school's librarian, and a highlight for him was when the school named its new library after him.

When asked what contributes to a long and happy marriage, they had similar responses.

Pat believes that you've got to work at it.

"We don't have many tiffs and rows or anything, and we try to support each other in whatever the other one is doing. I believe you've got to have space to do your own thing."

John says, "We've been there for each other through thick and thin".

"Illness has reared its head from time-to-time and we've always been there supporting each other. It's made our relationship that much stronger through those situations.

"There's got to be an opportunity for us both to have our own interests. There has to be a lot of give and take, I think that's important."