John and Ida Burgess celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary earlier this month. Photo / Nick Brook
John and Ida Burgess celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary earlier this month. Photo / Nick Brook
Sixty years ago, two youngsters from opposite ends of New Zealand were married in a kauri church in Whangarei on St Patrick's Day.
Ida MacDonald (22) was home for her wedding with fiance John "JR" Burgess and 25 friends and family from his home in the Catlins.
"It was awonderful mixture, our people from Owaka meeting Ida's family in the north - we had different pronunciations. It was a great union of two families," John (83) said.
"It was a real journey, almost an overseas experience back then," Ida said.
Ida grew up in Whangarei and went to Owaka in 1960 for country service after graduating from Teachers' College in Auckland.
While the couple was courting, John bought his first farm and nearly two years after meeting they were married "up north" on St Patrick's Day 1962.
"We got on well and we've never argued in all this time. Ida's easy-going, she has a wonderful nature," John said.
"There's no sense in arguing with the one you love," Ida agreed.
"You discuss, just talk things out."
A shared love of horse riding and community has characterised their companionship.
John is a Lions Club life member and was chairman of the fundraising committee for the Owaka Museum.
Ida volunteered for her local pony club for decades, participating with her husband in countless equine cavalcades, rodeos and leading horse trail events such as the Catlins Canter.
Working life was farming Tarara Downs before moving into Stenning House, an 1890s historic cottage in Pounawea, when their son Barry and his wife took over the reins nearly 20 years ago.
The couple had three daughters and a granddaughter. The Owaka family farm, The Ponderosa, had been in Burgess hands for well over 100 years and is now part-owned by grandson Martin.
John continues to look in on the cattle but spoke about moving to a property long held in Wanaka.
