Valentine's Day

Loves of Their Lives: 3 Couples on Being Married for Over 50 Years

All three couples were among the many recognized by Boston's Aging Strong Commission this December at its annual celebration of couples married for at least five decades.

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Sometimes love at first sight lasts. And lasts and lasts and lasts.

These three couples from the Boston area fell in love at first sight, got married young and stayed married for more than 50 years. Now in their golden years, they're still going strong.

Ahead of Valentine's Day, they told us their love stories and the secrets to a happy marriage. One tip: using humor to keep the other person happy.

"Honey, I saw him and he had no place to go but here," Beverly Roye said, with a hearty laugh, of the first time she saw her husband, Milton Roye.

All three couples were among the many recognized by Boston's Aging Strong Commission this December at its annual celebration of couples married for at least five decades.

The commission, which offers services to Bostonians who are 55 and over, planned to send 7,000 Valentine's Day cards to homebound seniors by Friday.

Beverly and Milton Roye of Dorchester on the keys to a successful life together.

We just sort of grew up together.

Milton Roye
Quincy, Mass., residents Willy and Dotty Ostiguy on what makes their marriage successful.

He's just a tower for me.

Dotty Ostiguy
Dorchester couple Thelma and Howard Burns tell their love story.

It's not like the kids today 'cause something goes wrong, they split up and go out ... hang in there!

Thelma Burns
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