On Sunday, the couple, now retired in Oamaru, will celebrate their blue sapphire wedding anniversary at the Star and Garter, the venue for their wedding reception.
But after their first meeting, some would not have believed their relationship would have made it this far.
It was at a dance at Kakanui, where Mrs Muldrew went to help children learn to dance.
Mr Muldrew had two dances with her, then asked her to keep the last dance for him.
''In my day, and my book, that meant he would take me home,'' she said, a chivalrous act to make sure she was safe, and usually an indication of interest in taking the relationship further.
But she had to help the children, and told him he could not take her home.
''I never asked,'' he said.
''I got very, very angry with him, We certainly did not get off on the right foot'' Mrs Muldrew said.
A short time later, he phoned and asked her to a circus - officially their first date.
''That was always a bit of a joke - I say our life has been a circus,'' Mrs Muldrew said.
And Mr Muldrew had his own joke, always boasting he was going out with an older woman.
Both 89 years old, Mrs Muldrew was born four days before him.
They rest, as they say, is history and they were married on March 23, 1949, at St Paul's Church, on a Wednesday, to be a bit different.
Unbeknown to them both, they learnt they had been in the air force and at Harewood together during World War 2, but had never met.
After they were married, there started a long association with the Hampden community, both in business and community service, which resulted in Mr Muldrew being awarded the Queen's Service Medal.
Mr Muldrew worked for the Maheno Butchery, then they bought the Hampden Butchery in 1952, leading to an involvement in many different ventures.
That included expanding it to a venison processing plant, starting a mobile butchery run around the district and, with son Keith, buying the Waikouaiti Butchery.
They were also the first to come up with the concept of a pet food roll, Mrs Muldrew driving around shops marketing it.
The couple's determination in every venture was illustrated when they finally gained approval to build the Boulders Restaurant at Moeraki above the Moeraki Boulders.
''People told us were were mad,'' Mrs Muldrew said.
But it opened in 1986 and quickly became very successful. They sold it after five years of long hours.
Mrs and Mrs Muldrew managed to fit in that, and other ventures and jobs, around raising seven children, and now have 13 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
