The Gore couple celebrated 65 years of marriage on Wednesday.
Although they had both attended St Mary’s Primary School, there was nothing more to their relationship at the start than that they knew each other’s names, Mrs Kubala said.
Like many young people in that era, the couple met at the Gore dances.
He was 19 years old and not interested in taking anyone out seriously and Mrs Kubala was about 17 years old, Mr Kubala said.
"I made it a policy not to go with anyone," he said.
"We were young. We were having fun," she said.
He remembered the first time he saw her walk into a dance, laughing with her girlfriends.
"I can still remember seeing this red coat and thought how smart she looked."
One night he danced with her and took her home but it was several weeks before they saw each other again.
Eventually Mr Kubala decided to change his policy on not having a girlfriend and asked her out.
"I did think she was special.
"I could tell that she was a very kind sort of a person.
"One of the things I admired about her was she stood very straight."
She enjoyed his company.
"We got along."
Eighteen months later they were engaged.
"It was much stricter than it is now," Mrs Kubala said.
By the time they married a year later they were good friends, she said.
When they were first married, Mr Kubala managed a farm for his uncle at Waimumu and later started Kubala Seeds, a seed dressing business.
In 1980 the couple bought racehorses and latterly had success with a pacer called Pat’s Delight.
Mr Kubala’s latest horse, First Rose, was named after Mrs Kubala.
Mrs Kubala was not sure there was a secret to a long marriage.
"You’ve just got to live.
"I would say doing things for each other and working together," he said.
The couple have eight children, 16 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
