‘Choose a kind partner’ – Couple married for 65 years reveal their secrets to success

A couple at a care home in Chichester have shared their secrets to a long and happy marriage after 65 years together.

Ahead of Valentine’s Day, the team at Care UK’s Chichester Grange, on Grosvenor Road, encouraged Charlie and Mary Roe to reminisce about their early days as a couple, and they revealed their secret to a happy marriage – which was ‘choose a kind partner’ and ‘continue to work hard on the relationship.’ 

 

The couple met after Charlie’s house was bombed during the Second World War and he was evacuated to Devon from London. He worked on a farm and Mary would come and collect the milk churns every day, eventually Charlie plucked up the coverage to ask Mary out on a date and the rest was history.

Charlie and Mary were married on April 21st, 1949, near Orpington, Kent. On the big day, Mary made her own wedding cake which was just two tiers high as food was still being rationed. Mary worked as a nurse, while Charlie continued to work on a farm after the war. 

The couple went on to have three children together, Tim, Nicholas and Virginia, and now also have nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. The family enjoy visiting Charlie and Mary at Chichester Grange which they moved into last month.

90-year-old Mary said: “The secret to a happy marriage is to firstly make a good choice in your partner. A good choice in that they are reliable and likeable, but most importantly kind. They have to have a good character.

Commenting on their recent move to Chichester Grange, 91-year-old Charlie said: “My wife and I have been married 65 years so we would never want to live apart. We are very happy that we have been able to live together here at Chichester Grange”.

Charlie and Mary’s three pieces of advice for couples today are: plan your future with your partner, always work hard at your relationship, and have shared interests.

The home team have planned a special Valentine’s celebration for the couple, including decorating the lounge with balloons and candles to create a romantic dinner cooked by the head chef with accompanying champagne. 

Naomi Butcher, Home Manager at Chichester Grange, said: “Charlie and Mary are a wonderful couple, and we could all learn a thing or two from their happy marriage. We thought Valentine’s Day was the perfect opportunity to encourage them to reminisce and share their pearls of wisdom. 

“Love truly is in the air at Chichester Grange, and many of the residents have also been reminiscing and sharing memories of their own past loves; it was lovely to hear stories from everyone’s younger years.   

“We’d like to say a big thank you to Charlie and Mary for their wise words – and a very happy Valentine's Day to this incredible couple!”

Designed to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives, while also promoting independence, Chichester Grange incorporates space for hobby and leisure activities. The layout of the building is configured into a series of individual suites, each having a dedicated lounge/dining room to help facilitate the creation of close-knit communities.

For more information, please call Customer Relations Manager, Caroline Thomas on 0330 058 3250 or email caroline.thomas@careuk.com.

For general information about Chichester Grange, please visit careuk.com/chichester-grange.