However, they say the bedrock of their marriage has been their faith, which isn’t surprising given that they met in church in Wellington when Frank was studying to be a teacher and Gwen was training to be a school dental nurse. Gwen plucked up the courage to ask Frank to accompany her to the Anglican Church ball and, as they as, the rest was history. Frank later went on to do three years of theological training at Trinity College in Grafton and was ordained as a Methodist minister.
Looking back on seven decades together, they say they feel blessed to have had a happy, supportive family including four children – Alison, Barbara, Judith and Dave – 10 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren, as well as a close network of friends who have “been there when we’ve needed them”. They have also shared good health, free of any serious illness or impairments. Frank, who will turn 100 next July and still drives and Gwen, 93, say they eat from their garden as much as possible, with a diet rich in raw fruit and vegetables.
“We keep away from artificial sprays and fertilisers by making our own compost, and try to live in harmony with nature as much as possible,” Frank says. The couple have travelled widely throughout their lives, starting with their honeymoon – a trip around the South Island in Frank’s father’s converted builder’s van. Many of their overseas trips were in conjunction with Frank’s involvement with CFO International, a global Christian movement prom.