Valentine’s Day – a day to celebrate love and the one you love – is just around the corner. What better way to contemplate the depth of love and maybe even learn a little about how to make your love last than to pick the brains of area couples who’s love has withstood the test of time. Last month, Her Voice requested the names of couples that have been married 60 years or more. The response was extraordinary – we received the names of more than a dozen couples. Time limitations made it impossible to talk with all the couples, but we thank them for contacting us and look forward to possibly using them as sources in future stories. We were able to talk to a few of the couples and we gleaned as much as we could about how they found success in love and marriage. Their stories are truly heartwarming. We hope you enjoy them as much as we did.

Have a wonderful Valentine’s Day!

Jim and Lorraine Slade

July 15, 1951

60 years of marriage

Jim is a retired educator and Lorraine is a housewife. The couple has four sons: Daniel, Randy, Scott and Jeffrey; six grandchildren: Evan, Ryan, Samantha, Luke, Joe and Lennon; and three great-grandchildren: Lily, Jack and Tristan

Jim and Lorraine met in Plankinton, SD, in 1950.

Lorraine knew she would marry Jim when he left to join the Navy.

“I knew he would come back for me,” she said.

Jim knew he would marry Lorraine when he came home on leave from the Navy and asked Lorraine to meet his parents.

“I knew at the time I wanted her to become my lifetime mate,” he said.

Lorraine said the best part of their relationship is their respect for their differences and appreciation of the many decisions they have made together.

Jim adds, “We work as a team and make decisions that are in the best interest of our family. Our love runs very deep. Lorraine is my friend, lover and wife.”

Over the years, Jim’s and Lorraine’s love has grown.

Lorraine said the best years have been their later years together because they have time to reflect on their past together.

“Each year has had special meaning but our later years are so carefree knowing we have worked hard and hopefully raised a good family and enjoy looking back at all we have achieved,” she said.

Jim said each segment of their marriage has meant different things to him.

“Early years are always filled with love and infatuation. Middle years are a time when give and take takes place,” he said. “Usually there are children, which means each parent is less available because of maternal/paternal instincts. There has to be good communication between husband and wife. The latter years are less volatile and care for one another takes on a new meaning and the love and commitment to each runs much deeper. I can’t imagine my life without Lorraine.”

Lorraine gives this advice to newly married or soon-to-marry couples: “Give time for infatuation to grow into the understanding of what real love is.”

Jim offers this, “A marriage requires a lot of give and take.

Communication must be kept open at all times. Never keep secrets from one another because that violates trust. Always put your spouse first.”

Lorraine said she believes her and Jim are happily married after all these years because of flexibility. Jim said that flexibility includes respect and giving each other space.

“Each needs quiet time,” he said.

Overall Lorraine said her and Jim have had a great life together.

“Every day is another page in the book of our life,” she said. “Pages become chapters full of memories of love that bloomed, birth of children, good health, working as a team through good times and a few lean times and last, but not least, that we will have each other to say I love you each day.”

Don and Grace Diede

May 23, 1950

61 years of marriage

Don is a retired farmer and masonry contractor and Grace is a housewife and retired nurses aide.

The couple has six children, 20 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren.

Don and Grace met at a little rural country school near Lesterville.

Grace was a second grader and Don was a seventh grader.

Grace said her and Don knew each other for many years but their courtship started when Grace was a teenager.

“Living in a small town the kids would get together on Saturday night,” she said. “One night Don asked me to go out and we dated for a while. We went to movies and rollerskating. Don didn’t dance, I tried to teach him for our wedding dance because my family danced and his didn’t.”

Don and Grace were married when he was 21 and she was 16.

“I was a young, young bride,” Grace said. “I wouldn’t advise girls these days to marry that young.”

In the early years of their marriage, Don and Grace moved around a bit before finally settling in Springfield.

“We lived in the Lesterville area until 1958, then we moved to Springfield for about 10 years. Don’s dad was ready to retire from farming so we moved back to Lesterville so Don could take over the farming,” Grace said. “In about 1985-86 we moved to California and were there for 1-1/2 years then we moved back to Springfield and have been here ever since.”

The secret to their marital success is two-fold, Grace said.

“We never went to sleep in an argument,” she said. “We always settled it before we went to sleep and we also always kept Christ as the head of our household.”

Grace said she remembers as a young couple preparing to marry, the pastor of the Congregational Church in Lesterville gave them some very valuable advice.

“He told us that life is no bed of roses and our marriage isn’t going to be roses all the time,” she said. “He told us to expect ups and downs and that was really true. He said we need to talk through the down times and settle our differences. I’ve always remembered that and that’s what we’ve done and here we are 61 years later. We’ve had a good life.”

Recently, life has gotten more complicated for Don and Grace.

About two years ago, Don had a stroke and he has been diagnosed with Parkinsons.

“He was in a nursing home but now he’s been home for a year,” Grace said. “He’s done real well recovering and made a big improvement. Now we’re just taking each day as it comes.”

Grace said she enjoyed the busy years of their life together when they had kids at home.

“During the early years you just enjoy everything more,” she said.

“Later in life you slow down and you wish you could have those earlier years back.”

Without a doubt, Don and Grace still cherish each other.

When asked if he wanted to say anything about being married to Grace for 61 years, Don replied, “It was the greatest experience of my life.”