Newspaper Article 1995 – Golden wedding aniversary

Golden wedding anniversary

Woodville couple Dudley and June Lean celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Friday, and believe the key to a successful marriage is to work at it.

“It’s like a new job. If you don’t put your heart and soul into it you won’t succeed,” said Mrs Lean. “It’s become too easy to get out of it. You’ve got to be prepared to work hard.”

The Leans are from Hastings, and came to Woodville in December 1969 following a period living in Waipukurau. They were in the market for some land and found a 20-acre farmlet in Woodville.

They were married in Hastings in 1945, having met at a cattle show following Mr Lean’s return from the Second World War.

Secretary/treasurer of the Woodville RSA, Mr Lean served with the third divison [division] in Guadalcanal, occasionally coming under fire from Japanese air raids, after spending 10 months stationed with the first regiment in Woodville in 1942.

The Leans have four children. Their eldest daughter Carol Spragg is a teacher in Stratford. Their other two daughters, Sharon Brown and Beryl Oliver, are living on farms in Kohinui and Hastings respectively. Their youngest child, Martin Lean, resides in the Woodville area and is a tanker driver for Tui Milk Products.

Dudley and June have 12 grandchildren and one great grandchild and are extremely proud of all of them.

Mr Lean has had a life-long involvement with Jersey cattle breeding. His parents were Jersey breeders, and he won the Jersey Cattle Breeders’ Association’s Distinguished Members Award in 1988. In 1976 he was appointed a show judge by the association.

Three years ago the Leans, visited England where they helped with the preparation and exhibition of the Queen’s animals. Queen Elizabeth made a personal trip to visit them during the assignment.

Mr Lean, a former secretary of the Woodville Jersey Cattle Breeders’ Club and Wellington/East Coast Federation of Jersey Cattle Breeders’ Clubs, worked as a stock and station agent for 20 years in Hastings and a further six years in Waipukurua [Waipukurau].

A former employee of Hawke’s Bay Farmers, where he attained the position of grocery manager in his later years, Mr Lean has also been involved with sports administration.

He was tresurer [treasurer] of the Hastings Cricket Association in the 1950s and a member of the Executive Hawke’s Bay Boxing Association when professional fighters Barry Brown, Noel Fitzwater and Jim McIvor were members. He was later a member of the Southern Hawke’s Bay Boxing Association.

The Leans are semi-retired, but continue to work on their farm. They have entered stock at most lower North Island shows, including Dannevirke and Pahiatua, with considerable success over the years.

Both have also been members of the Black and Coloured Sheep Association since 1976.

Mrs Lean, who served as a land girl during the war, is a former member of the Wharite Choir and is secretary of the Ngawapurua CWI. With husband Dudley she is also a member of St James Church.

Photo caption – Dudley and June Lean with bouquets received in celebration of their half century of marriage.