He is one of Gisborne’s small number of surviving World War 2 veterans.
Jack returned to New Zealand in January 1946 and the couple were married at Central Baptist Church on October 5, 1946.
The couple have been married for nearly 79 years and received congratulatory cards from the late Queen Elizabeth for their 60th and 75h wedding anniversaries.
Jack and Joan lived in Blenheim for the first six years of marriage before returning to Gisborne and buying their Childers Rd home four years later.
Childers Rd was to be their home for more than 65 years where they raised three children.
Gary lives in Havelock North while Brian and Karen live in Gisborne.
Jack worked as an upholsterer while Joan was the canteen manager at Lytton High School and also worked at Woolworths Variety Store.
Daughter Karen Foster said the couple enjoyed years of camping, initially in tents, later by caravan while indoor bowls was another shared interest.
Her parents had always kept busy.
“Mum played the organ and enjoyed knitting while father was a keen gardener,” she said.
Their Childers Rd home had many fruit trees and the large vegetable garden “was always immaculate and admired by others”.
“You have to eat your greens!
“He loves his meat and three vegetables every day.”
Jack and Joan live at Kiri Te Kanawa Retirement Village have five grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.
