The Barr family will be celebrating more than Christmas Day tomorrow.
Roy, 87, and Judy Barr, 78, will be ticking off 60 years of marriage. Some might say Christmas Day was an unusual date to marry, but it made sense for the couple. "All the family was here for dinner anyway so we thought we would get married too," Mrs Barr said.
This year the family will be having Christmas dinner at Cobb and Co, before marking the anniversary with a party on Boxing Day at the Waimea Bowling Club.
Mr and Mrs Barr are keen bowlers, but they also share a wicked sense of humour.
When asked to put his arm around his wife for a photo, Mr Barr was quick to quip: "You'll start to expect this every day. You ain't getting it".
Roy is clear about his role in the marriage though: "Making sure she doesn't spend too much money."
He was a tail gunner in the Royal Air Force during World War II, and met his future wife when he moved to New Zealand.
Her sister was dating his brother. Both couples ended up marrying.
The couple dairy farmed in Normanby for years before retiring to New Plymouth after Mr Barr had a heart attack.
Mr Barr said they had always lived in Taranaki, and the region "got a bit of rain now and then, which is very handy".
They have two children, three grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.
When asked for their secret to a successful marriage, the Barrs said they were unsure whether they had one, but son Brian said they were both too stubborn to find anyone else. One reason for their happy union could be not changing their routine much – the couple still read the paper in bed every morning.
KATE SAUNDERS - Taranaki Daily News
Last updated 05:00 24/12/2010
Barrs
ROBERT CHARLES/Taranaki Daily News
HAPPY UNION: Judy, 78, and Roy, 87, Barr, celebrate 60 years of marriage on Christmas Day.
