Married — after 34 years

Press, 7 March 1978, Page 10

Married — after 34 years

PA Auckland A letter sent to a Wisconsin bank by a former NewZealand wartime bride-to-be by chance revived a romance which began in Auckland 34 years ago. As a result of the letter, Mrs Marv Hunt, of Wellington and Mr Joseph Will, of California, have been married in Hamilton — 34 years after thev were first engaged. A starry-eyed Mary and her smiling husband-to-be met for the first time since 1943 on Saturday! when Joseph arrived at Auckland Airport. The couple recognised each other immediately and the years spent apart and | any second thoughts dissolved away. The romance began during World War II when Joseph was stationed in the Solo-; mon Islands with the American Infantry. A two-month spell in NewZealand to gather more troops brought the two together and the romance flourished. It was arranged that they be married in the United States when the war ended. But when Joseph returned home to Wisconsin after a year serving in the Philip- ■ pines, his bride-to-be was - not there as expected. Mary had been unable to by-pass the wartime ‘'Red ' tape” to arrange a passage | to the United States and the t couple lost contact soon f after. I Recent efforts by Mary to contact Joseph proved fruitless. Joseph had not lived in Wisconsin for 30 vears and i letters -ent went astray. As a last attempt Marv I sent a letter to a bank in ’ Wisconsin which Joseph had used during the time they Were engaged. An employ ee wno had 1 worked at the bank for more : than 30 'ears happened to »ee the letter and remem- t bered Joseph i

The letter was passed on to a cousin of Joseph’s in the town who was able to! forward it to the correct j address. The letter finally reached Joseph in California in De- 1 cember last year. Within the; hour he had sat down to reply to Mary, and by’ Christmas Day he had proposed. Twelve days later, Mary! sent a cablegram to an anxious Joseph, accepting his proposal for the second; time. Enjoying a champagne with two friends who are unable to attend the wedding. Mary and Joseph re-i called the moment when they were reunited at the airport. The couple decided to be married as soon as possible Joseph even inquired whether there was such a thing as an airport chaplain who could officiate. “After all we had beer engaged for .34 years — that’s a long time.” he said The couple were both widowed seven years ago. Mary! as a mother of five and Joseph as a father of two. The enlarged family of children are “all thrilled by their parents’ decision. “They saw me off to the plane to make sure I didn’t change my mind.” said Joseph. The couple drove to Ngaruawahia to meet Mary’s parents who well remember the American soldier who swept their daughter off her feet. Mary will continue to work as food supervisor at Marsden College, Wellington, until the end of the year The newly-weds will then 1 take a belated honeymoon ir Western Samoa before retiring in Ngaruawahia. The couple will live in an old family home which, during Man s seven vears absence. has become run down. “But. she said, "it’s like an old romance — it can be mended."