{"id":8624,"date":"2025-02-21T17:50:49","date_gmt":"2025-02-21T17:50:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/strongermarriages\/?p=8624"},"modified":"2025-02-21T17:51:54","modified_gmt":"2025-02-21T17:51:54","slug":"couple-married-for-75-years-shares-hilarious-secret-to-a-long-and-happy-marriage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/strongermarriages\/2025\/02\/couple-married-for-75-years-shares-hilarious-secret-to-a-long-and-happy-marriage.html","title":{"rendered":"Couple Married 75 Years Shares Hilarious Secret to a Long and Happy Marriage"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"
Middleton Lodge Care Home<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For Trudy and Alan Thomlinson, love has stood the test of time\u201475 years, to be exact. The English couple, now 97 and 96, met at a youth social event and married in 1949. Today, they are as devoted to each other as ever, sharing their golden years in a senior home.<\/p>\n

So, what\u2019s their secret?<\/p>\n

Zip your lip \u2014\u00a0and keep it zipped.<\/p>\n

\u201cKnowing when to keep your mouth shut,\u201d Trudy told What\u2019s The Jam<\/em>. While she admits there are moments of frustration, she and Alan are grateful for the life they\u2019ve built together.<\/p>\n

The Thomlinsons now reside at Middleton Lodge Care Home in Derby, operated by Avery Healthcare, which partnered with online care home locator Lottie in August 2024. For them, staying together at this stage in life is a gift. \u201cWe\u2019ve built a life together, and it\u2019s wonderful to keep that going in such a lovely place,\u201d Trudy shared.<\/p>\n

Their story, also highlighted by the BBC<\/em>, showcases the power of lifelong companionship. \u201cWe\u2019ve always been together\u2014we wouldn\u2019t think of life without each other,\u201d Trudy said.<\/p>\n

Remarkably, the Thomlinsons aren\u2019t the only couple at Middleton Lodge enjoying this special arrangement. Several residents live in companion suites designed to ensure spouses can stay together while receiving necessary care.<\/p>\n

Joanne Graves, the care home manager, explained to the BBC<\/em>, \u201cMany people come into care homes after losing a spouse, which makes the transition incredibly difficult. The most important thing for our couples is that they stay together, and it\u2019s a privilege to help them do that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Among the other enduring love stories at the home are Peter and Eileen Wade, aged 90 and 89. Married in 1958 after meeting at a school dance in Manchester, their secret to a happy marriage is simple: tolerance.<\/p>\n

\u201cAccept that people have little quirks\u2014it\u2019s part of marriage. You can\u2019t just walk away,\u201d Peter advised. Eileen added, \u201cAllow space for the things your partner enjoys, even if they\u2019re not your interests.\u201d<\/p>\n

These remarkable couples serve as a reminder that love, patience, and understanding are the cornerstones of a lasting marriage. Their wisdom proves that while time may pass, true devotion endures.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For Trudy and Alan Thomlinson, love has stood the test of time\u201475 years, to be exact. The English couple, now 97 and 96, met at a youth social event and married in 1949. Today, they are as devoted to each other as ever, sharing their golden years in a senior home. So, what\u2019s their secret?…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":462,"featured_media":8627,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fbia_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8624","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nCouple Married 75 Years Shares Hilarious Secret to a Long and Happy Marriage<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"After 75 years of marriage, Trudy and Alan Thomlinson share their simple yet hilarious secret to lasting love.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/strongermarriages\/2025\/02\/couple-married-for-75-years-shares-hilarious-secret-to-a-long-and-happy-marriage.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Couple Married 75 Years Shares Hilarious Secret to a Long and Happy Marriage\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"After 75 years of marriage, Trudy and Alan Thomlinson share their simple yet hilarious secret to lasting love.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/strongermarriages\/2025\/02\/couple-married-for-75-years-shares-hilarious-secret-to-a-long-and-happy-marriage.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Stronger Marriages\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-02-21T17:50:49+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-02-21T17:51:54+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/wp-media.beliefnet.com\/sites\/413\/2025\/02\/75-year-old-couple_credit-Middleton-Lodge-Care-Home.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" 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