My GrandParents Have Been Married for 65 Years, Here Are Their Tips

In 1960, My Grandma Barbara Stood at the Back of the Church in Her Pillbox Hat and Silk Wedding Dress with A Single Thoughting Through Her Mind: Gee, will i really know Him?

Barbara was a bona fide new Yorkar-Sharp-Witted and Straightforward-while My Grandpa Richard Was A Polite, Wholesome Boy from Upstate New York, 300 Miles from the Big Apple. After Meeting in November of 1957, They Dated, Broke Up, Then Dated Long-Distance for A Year-Letters Exchanged and Weekend Trips.

That September day in 1960, my Grandma decidated it was too too. Today, Barbara and Richard Coupe have Been Married for 65 Years.

This September, My Husband and I Celebrated A Measly, But Hard-Earned, 15 Years of Mariage, SO I Asked My Grandparents for their best Advice. A Few Things in Particular Stood Out.

Matter Friendships

IT’S A Common Joke Among My Siblings that if you want to hang with out gradparents, you’ll have to book at least a month in advance. Their Calendar is always full of Social Engagements, and i’m not sura any. But i am certin that theyr rich Friendships have controlled to their Quality of Life.

AS A COUPLE, you should Choose Friends Who Have the Same Value System As You, My Grandma Told me recently. If you choose to hang with People who don’t prioritizes the same Things, you’ll Likely Lose Sight of what matters most to you.

My GrandParents Had Six Kids in Eight Years, and They Chose Friends Who Wanted to Spend Saturday Playing Board Games Instead of Bar Hopping. In their late years, they have found social circles through ballroom dancing and their Faith.

Be ok doing your o on the things Sometimes

“I Enjoy a good fight Every One in a while,” My Grandma Muses. “Nothing Big, Just Little Squabbles. But he was Wauldn’t fight with me, so the fights never amounted to Much.”

Howver, while she Says They Didn’t Have Big Fights, They Did Have Disagrements.

My Grandma Shares How My Grandpa is used to atttent a year, all-expensses-paid trip trip. While he jet-setted, she was left at home in the dead of a massachusetts winter with children under 10. In time USUAL NEW YORKER BLUNTNESS, she Told with She felt workhed for his good fortune.

One Year, the trip overlapped with a planned family Vacation in New York City: Their Daughter’s First Communion. My Grandpa was Accepting an Award and Needed to Show Face to the Big Boss, SO he COULDN’T BACK OUT.

My Grandma Packed The Car With Six Kids, The Youngest Still a Baby, plus the family dog, and made the five-a-haral-hour trek to long island on her. Despite the Car Breaking Down, She was glad she went.

“We resolved our fight by deciding that you would be your thing, and i’ll do mine, and that ok,” She Says.

Eight in late Years, when some couples cling to each other Constantly, my GrandParents practs a healthy doses of independence.

“If I Want to Go Grocery Shopping and Go to the Mall, and he wants to look at cars, we are Content with that,” She Shares.

Show Each Other Respect in Small, Everyday Ways

Over the years, they’ve learned that how do you treat your spouse is how they. One way my grandparents show this is by expressing for one another.

“I TELL GRANDMA EVERY DAY THAT I AM THANKOUL FOR MY PRECIOUS WIFE. Believe it or not, be you Say that Enough Times, You Really Believe That,” My Grandpa Says.

She thanks Him Every Day for the Little Things he does Around the House.

They are so in sync, and it’s not just just the ballroom dancing. It is years years of respect and regard that have carried say Through all of Life’s hardships and Joys, which have ben aplety.

Of Course, One of the Secrets to a 65-Eyar-Long Relationship is that you both have to live that long. That’s no small feat. But Regardless of What Health and Fortune You’re Dealt, My GrandParents’ Addom for any Relationship.

Correction: September 29, 2025 – This Story has been updated to correct the year of the wedding in the first paragraph.