Alan and Tricia Wallace - Client Profile
Meeting as 18-year-olds at the Starlight Ballroom in Hamilton, Alan and Tricia Wallace have spent the past 67 years together. Loyal clients of Gallie Miles since 2002, their latest legal matter was an update of their Wills with Renee Dunn, whilst residing at Highfield Country Estate Retirement Village. In this blog we learn more about their lives and what it means to the elderly couple to have all their legal affairs in order.
The year is 1957 and Rock’n’Roll is playing. 18-year-olds Alan Wallace and Patricia (Tricia) Brabant meet across the dancefloor at the Starlight Ballroom on Anglesea Street in Hamilton.
“Every now and then, a couple of mates and I would head along to the Starlight, and that’s where I met Tricia one Saturday night,” says Alan.
Alan was working as a dairy farmer on Pickerings Road, Bruntwood (near Cambridge), while Ruakura local Tricia was establishing a bridal gown business in Claudelands.
The couple married in 1960 and went on to have two children, Grant and Amanda.
Alan and Tricia on their wedding day - Photo featured in the Te Awamutu Courier
They later purchased a dry stock farm in Parawera, raising beef and growing maize. Tricia continued with her dressmaking business as well.
Then in 2002, with the couple getting older and their family growing up (they now have 4 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren!), Alan and Tricia felt it was time to move into town.
It was around this time they started working with Gallie Miles, who assisted with their purchase of a large section on Lawbrooke Lane in Te Awamutu, so they could build their dream home.
“We built a beautiful Oamaru stone house, as well as a large workshop,” says Alan.
“There were many happy years spent there; I restored vintage tractors and we often hosted the Waikato MG Car Club. Tricia had a craft business and we also both volunteered with the health shuttle service, so it was a busy time,” says Alan.
Alan and Tricia outside their Oamaru Stone house in Te Awamutu with their prized MG. Photo taken by Dean Taylor and featured in the Te Awamutu Courier.
When the time came for the couple to downsize further, they joined the waitlist for Highfield Country Estate Retirement Village off Swarbrick Drive in Te Awamutu.
“Friends of ours said we should consider putting our names down on the list at Highfield, so we did,” says Alan.
“We waited for a Villa to become available and when it did, it was the best move we ever made,” says Tricia.
Gallie Miles once again assisted with the transition, taking care of the agreements relating to moving into a retirement community.
“There are lots of regulations and terms and conditions involved with moving into a retirement village. Gallie Miles sorted everything out with Highfield’s Lawyers and made sure everything was in order for us. For example, they made sure our payment start date aligned with our move in date and things like that,” says Alan.
“We were very pleased with Gallie Miles – they were pleasant and thorough and explained all the ‘dos and don’ts’ and obligations relating to the move into the retirement village.”
Two years on and the couple then needed to do an update of their Wills.
“Our first Will was done when we had grandchildren and things had changed quite a bit since then. We had a Trust that needed to be wound up and we had some requirements around special possessions we wanted to pass on to our family, so Renee Dunn (Gallie Miles Solicitor) got in touch to help us with that.”
“Renee was very, very thorough and very pleasant. She gave us all of the information we needed and we were able to state our wishes and allocate various items within our Wills,” says Alan.
“Then when the time came to sign the final documents, Renee offered to visit us here at home. Tricia’s had some health issues so by coming to us we thought that was just such great service, it made things much easier for us.”
The couple say they couldn’t be happier with the service received from Renee.
“Renee was just so friendly. She’s got a lovely nature and we really couldn’t have been happier. It’s a comfort to know everything is sorted and all of our affairs are in order.”
Do you need assistance with your Will and/or Enduring Power of Attorney?
Gallie Miles can assist you with your Will and Enduring Power of Attorney needs to ensure your wishes are documented legally. Get in touch here.
