Neil Olsen turns 99 this week.
He still drives, still plays golf and he still makes his wife, Zoe, laugh.
Cheeky banter and shared jokes is what has kept them together for nearly 70 years, the couple reckons.
Together, they have faced life side by side; farming, raising children and building a life in Peria that has touched generations.
The Olsen family’s connections to Peria run deep, tracing back to Neil’s grandfather, Ole Olsen, who settled on Burma Rd before World War I. Ole was born Olaf Olausen Frulin in Oslo, Norway in 1859.
He worked in the Far North gum fields and later married Namaha Hakitara, daughter of Te Rarawa chief Hakitara of Peria – one of the Māori signatories to the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840.
They bought farmland which was later taken over by their grandsons Neil and his brother Sid. Neil went on to marry Zoe and they raised six children on the farm.
Neil an avid sportsman, played tennis, golf and rugby. He met Zoe on the tennis courts, he recalled.
“They put us together in mixed doubles. We were a bit cheeky to each other and yeah, from there it got serious.”
They later got married and the couple continued playing tennis and golf together, always sharing laughs.
Neil remembered the day they got married and said it was quite the affair.
“We got married at our local church, just down the road, and it was quite a big wedding. There were lots of people there. When we walked out the whole community was there, it was beautiful.”
While being a year closer to a hundred and being married for 70 years were among his achievements Neil was proud of his golfing career.
He scored a hole-in-one in 1994 and is proudly the oldest member of the Whangaroa Golf Club.
Zoe said for as long as they have been married, they have always been there for each other.
“My mum has dementia, and my dad looks after her fulltime. That is love, you look after each other,” said one of their daughter’s, Ava Herron, who lives nearby in Coopers Beach and checks in regularly on her parents.
She said her parents were a great example to them and she was grateful for the life their parents gave them.
“We were very happy. We all had to work on the farm. It taught us kids to be quite self-sufficient. I think that was the best childhood. They have given us a lot of good values.””
Kaye Dragicevich has known the couple for over 20 years and said they have been long-cherished members of the Peria community.
“They are a much-loved couple who have earned deep respect and affection for generations of locals.”
She remembers them fondly from her days working at the National Bank.
“Zoe, always thoughtful and kind, was known for creating beautiful bouquets and small gifts, often giving them to friends and neighbours just to brighten their day. Neil, ever active, remains a keen golfer and is proudly the oldest playing member of the Whangaroa Golf Club. Still driving and enjoying life.”
She said Neil and Zoe have led rich and rewarding lives and she was happy to know them.
“As Neil celebrates his 99th birthday, the community of Peria joins in honouring a remarkable life of dedication, family, and quiet achievement.
“Together, Neil and Zoe have an enduring legacy – not only through the land they loved and worked, but through the warmth, kindness, and integrity with which they’ve touched so many lives.
“Congratulations Neil, Happy Birthday.”
The family will be celebrating with a small get-together and has plans of a bigger party when Neil turns 100 next year.