Neville and Ann, a love of 60 years

JULIA WADE

24 Apr, 2023

Congratulations to long-time locals, Neville and Ann Dowson for an incredible 60 years of marriage.

First teaming up in their early teens over six decades ago on their school playground for a game of ‘tenniquoits’ and proceeding to ‘clean up the school’, the couple have remained a close team who say they’ve never even had a real argument, ‘not the kind where you storm out the door’.

With a courtship that included having a lot of fun spending weekend nights at local dance halls and summer days waterskiing, picnicking and cycling, Neville says he thought he lost Ann when ‘she took off’ at age 18 to join the WRENS (Womens Royal New Zealand Naval Service).

“I didn’t want to give up the most beautiful girl in the district for anyone else. I still ask her, why the hell did you marry me with all the boys you had to pick from?”

Marrying in 1963 at Hakaru’s St Michaels Church, the couple raised three children, Alan and twins Susan and David, on a Kaiwaka farm before moving to Hakaru and then Mangawhai Heads.

Now both in their early 80s, with a legacy of eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, they still enjoy each other’s company and being active together, with cycling, golf, fishing and kayaking keeping them ‘young and fit’ and connected. They’re also both involved with the Mangawhai Museum and RSA where Ann is president of the women’s RSA section.

Doing their own thing is also important however. Ann enjoys water aerobics, estuary swimming and the local garden club while Neville is world-famous in Mangawhai for his creative glass bottle artworks, which light up the Christmas nights and attracts visitors and locals alike.

Besides their joint activities Neville says the key to their lasting love is to just say ‘yes dear’ and to be considerate and kind to each other.

Hakaru’s St Michaels Church where Neville and Ann Dowson declared their ‘I dos’ back in 1963. Their marriage remains strong and active 60 years later and has been acknowledged via letter by King Charles, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, Governor General Dame Cindy Kiro and Minister for Seniors, the honorable Ginny Andersen. PHOTO/JULIA WADE