70 Years of Marriage

When asked what the secret is to being married for 70 years, he replied, "Living a long time."

Mr. George Blackwell and Mrs. Ileana Blackwell have been married for 70 years. They married when he was 21 and she was 18. They might not get around as swiftly as they used to, but they still find ways to be a helping partner to one another.

“He can be funny and all this, but in the later years he can’t hear very well, so we have to work at that. I think we do exceptionally well. I can’t see, so he helps me. I’m his ears and he’s my eyes. So, we do quite well," says Mrs. Blackwell. She has a condition that has caused her to only have a very limited amount of narrow vision, while he is almost deaf.

When Mr. Blackwell was asked what it was about her that made him fall in love, he quickly resorted to his usual, sweet humor and said, "she’s pretty good lookin’, but I do the cookin’. I was home on leave and just passing through for 7 days, and I don’t know, I just happened to go see her.”

They both claimed that endurance really is the key to such a long marriage as this.

"Well, it’s not all smooth, but I think every couple has their little spats and ups and downs sometimes. But we’ve worked that out and we’ve been through it, and it’s been a pleasure. We’ve enjoyed the years together," says Mrs. Blackwell.

She is 89, and he will be turning 91 in just a few weeks. They live a pretty quiet life now, and they wouldn't have it any other way.