Edith and Neil McCaw hope to postpone the celebrations for their 60th wedding anniversary. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Edith and Neil McCaw hope to postpone the celebrations for their 60th wedding anniversary. Photo / Michael Cunningham
It won't be quite what they imagined, nonetheless still a day to remember when Kamo couple Edith and Neil McCaw celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary tomorrow .
Edith said they were meant to have "a jolly lot of people" coming for a party to recognise the couple's marriage diamond anniversarymilestone, instead they will dig into cake and hope to postpone the celebrations until after the lockdown.
Both are currently looked after by community support group Help Kamo who organised an anniversary cake for the McCaws.
The pair first met in Auckland while Northland-born Edith trained to become a teacher. Part of the education included dancing classes which Neil, who was raised in rural Auckland, attended, too.
After their first lesson together, Neil – who was a "pretty good dancer", according to Edith – asked her to come and visit him at home.
Edith described how she and a friend followed the invitation, however, they didn't quite know what to make of the situation when they noticed that Neil had removed the front seats in his car for repair works and they all huddled together in the backseat.
Despite or maybe because of this quirky first encounter, Edith and Neil continued seeing each other and eventually got married on April 16, 1960.
Edith and Neil on their wedding day, April 16, 1960.
After Edith finished her teaching education, the couple moved to Purua to live on her parents' property – a 200ha mixed farm with beef and dairy cows as well as sheep.
As Neil picked up work on the farm, Edith started teaching at Purua School and helped out on the farm where she could. Both fully took over the farming business a year after they arrived as Edith's parents moved to Langs Beach.
"We stayed for 30 years. We just loved the farm," Edith said.
On the weekends, when they managed to get in a relief milker, Neil and Edith would go sailing in the Bay of Islands with their yacht Emara, especially around their favourite spot Parekura Bay.
"After the yacht, we bought a campervan which we have had for 20 years now. We went everywhere with (it). Neil and I spent a whole year in the South Island," Edith said.
Neil's other great passion was tramping. With his tramping mates, he went on Great Walks and tracks across the country.
The biggest trip of their lives was over to the UK for a friend's wedding. Naturally, they used the occasion to explore the country and met relatives from Ireland and Scotland where Edith's and Neil's families are from.
Edith and Neil McCaw met when taking dancing classes down in Auckland. Photo / Michael Cunningham
The McCaws are also related to famous former All Black Richie McCaw whom Neil and Edith enthusiastically followed throughout his memorable rugby career.
Edith said staying in touch with family and friends had always been important to the couple and that she even was still talking to both of her bridesmaids.
About a year ago, Neil and Edith also became great-grandparents for the first time. Both her daughter and son have two children each and Edith said they always enjoyed time with their family and grandchildren.
Now 83, both Neil and Edith look back at their married life together with fondness.
"We had a pretty busy life and a very happy marriage," Edith said. "We were very fortunate. I think most important for every relationship is to give and take."
