Darlene G. Snyder
Love was in the air.
All the smooching, kissing and hand-holding I witnessed at McCready Manor could’ve melted the blanket of snow that covered the ground outside. I watched as the photographer arranged the couples to take a group photograph. Some of them were hilarious, some serious, while other were more romantic, enjoying the opportunity before them.
Kelly Benton, the center’s activities director, wanted each couple posed for the picture. She told Lois Arthur to “show James how much you love him.” She gave Kelly a look and replied, “I can’t show you that!”
Jerry and Nancy Crider were a very sweet couple who stood together and kept giving each other that look. One would have thought they were newlyweds. Keith and Ellena Reynolds both were dressed in pink and stayed hugged up for most of the photo session.
I had the opportunity to spend some time with the 10 couples and discover their secrets of marital happiness and longevity. This group had a combined 550 years of wedded bliss between them. The Arthurs have been married the longest, 68 years.
Speaking of long-term marriages, Kelly shared a cute happening that involved Anita and J.W. Harris. When Kelly came upon the couple in a hallway, Anita said, “Today’s my birthday.”
After Kelly wished her a happy birthday, Anita said, “We’ve been married 83 years.” As they walked away, J.W. asked, “How many years did you say we were married?”
Anita meant to say that she was 83 years old. I loved the broad smile Anita was sporting when Kelly told that story on her.
I began by asking a series of questions, the following are responses:
• Seven have sent, brought or received flowers to or from their spouse.
• One couple can recall their first argument.
• Four couples can recall their first kiss.
• Two couples were engaged to someone else prior to meeting their spouse.
Kay Smith told the group her grandmother was engaged to seven different men at the same time and had seven engagement rings at once!
Six women said “yes” immediately when asked to marry. Al Osborne said he was talking to Sandy on the telephone when he asked her to marry. Ellena Reynolds said that she knew she was going to marry Keith before she met him. She had heard so many good things about him from her mother and determined he was the man for her.
• Three couples have lived in another country.
• Six couples were married somewhere other than in Kentucky.
• Two couples fell in love at first sight.
• Two admit to having hidden money from the other. Sandy Osborne said Al hid money to buy her gifts for special occasions.
• Three of the men admitted to being the first to flirt and three women said they were the first.
• Four can recall that first date.
• Six couples say they have pet names for each other: Dove, Sweetie Pie, Honey, Boodoo and Tweetie.
• When I asked, who has ever lost their teeth in the bed? No one admitted to it, but Sandy Osborne said, “No one takes their teeth to bed!” We had a great laugh on that one.
One of the sweetest things of the day was how Ted Brock held a photo of his wife, who couldn’t be with him for the group photo. He kissed her picture several times and held flowers next to it for the photo.
Ending our time together, I asked the couples, “What’s so great about being married?” The following is a list of responses.
• Having children
• Simply being together
• Sharing life
• Companionship
• Having a buddy
• Don’t recall never not being married
• Watching what a wonderful mother she was/is
• Enjoyed it the whole way
• Just being married — meaning they loved everything about their married life.
I’m grateful that I had the opportunity to meet these 10 married couples and to learn from them. Their love for each other has lasted half a century or more. Love has been in the air a long time now for them.
