Brian and Maureen were later to meet at a dance.
''In those days there was always a dance at the weekend and I think I met her in Taneatua at the dance,'' says Brian. He says he would have asked her to dance.
''All the boys would be standing in a group and when they announced a dance, you took off to find a partner.''
They started dating and continued, even when Maureen, still in her teens, began nursing at Rotorua Hospital. Brian was working on the railways.
In a break with tradition, Brian asked Maureen's mother for permission to ask for Maureen's hand.
''She said it was all right, 'but I'm warning you, you've got your bed now, you lie in it','' he says with a laugh.
Maureen and Brian's granddaughter Tess says her great-grandmother was a strong, influential and prominent woman in Taneatua.
''That's probably why he asked her and not her dad,'' says Tess.
The wedding was a big affair with over 150 guests, and the couple headed north in Brian's Vauxhall for their honeymoon, travelling as far as Cape Reinga.
''Most of Taneatua came to the wedding,'' says Maureen.
In all Brian worked for the railways for 40 years, starting as a junior porter before progressing through the roles of porter, shunter, signalman and storeman, to become inspector of jobs. He lost his left arm in a shunting accident 60 years ago.
For a brief time, though, the couple farmed on Brian's parents farm just after they were married, but when the farm was put on the market he went back to working on the railways.
The couple spent much of their married life in Te Kuiti where they raised a family of five children, with the move to Te Puke coming because of a work transfer.
''When we went to Te Kuiti [Maureen] cried because she didn't want to go, and when we left, she cried because she didn't want to leave,'' says Brian.
''In those days kiwifruit was just starting and it used to be all by rail to Auckland and that's why I was transferred from Te Kuiti to Te Puke, to supervise the loading of containers of kiwifruit,'' says Brian.
''Being born and bred in Awakeri, it was nice to come back from the King Country to the Bay of Plenty where the climate and everything is so different,'' he says.
''I like Te Puke - it's a friendly place,'' says Maureen.
Brian worked past retirement age and in later life took over the role of cooking for the family.
He says he often gets asked about the secret to his and Maureen's long marriage - and says he knows when he is onto a good thing.
''Lots of people have asked me that question and I tell them it's a wise old cow that stays close to the haystack,'' he laughs.
For her part, Maureen says she has never thought of divorcing Brian.
When asked why she fell in love with him, she says it wasn't for his money.
''We've done all right, living together though,'' she says.
Brian says he remembers thinking Maureen was very pretty.
He says family has kept them together.
''Now she's the thing that's keeping me alive.''
''We've got used to each other,'' says Maureen. ''It's taken a long time.''
They have had their share of adventures and travelled to Europe and Asia after winning money on Bonus Bonds.
But now they are happy with a sedentary life.
''The less I do, the better I like it,'' says Maureen, and Brian chips in that he likes to sleep.
Tess says she and her siblings and cousin have been blessed.
''They have been amazing grandparents, we are so lucky, us grandchildren. And we are really proud of them.''
