Earlier this month, the Garden River, Ontario couple celebrated their 80th wedding anniversary with 200 of their friends and family members with a “wonderful” party on Aug. 10 at the Delta, as per Sault Ste. Marie news outlet SooToday. “We have the most wonderful family, and they all work so hard,” Doreen said.
The couple grew up in Garden River and their families were friends before they began dating. “We knew there was a connection early on,” Doreen reflected. “He’d ask me to go to the movies and shows in town. A couple years into dating, we were walking by Whalen’s Jewellers in the Sault, and he asked if he could buy me a ring. It was like a friendship ring.”
They tied the knot on Aug. 10, 1944. Five years into their marriage, they built a house together and have lived there since.
As for the secret to their decades-long marriage? “Understanding each other,” Doreen said. “There’s no need to argue. Yesterday’s gone by; you’ll never have that back again. Don’t dwell on things of the past, look for the future for better things. She also said that it’s important to have a sense of humor. She and Harold had an Alexa set up in their home, and he would speak to the virtual assistant, joking that it made her jealous. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“All he has to say is: ‘Alexa, I want to listen to Waylon Jennings. Alexa, I want to listen to Merle Haggard.’ ” Doreen said. “I phoned my son and said: ‘I was never jealous of your dad all these years, and now all I hear is ‘Alexa, Alexa.’ She listens to him and plays all his music. What are you trying to do, give us a divorce?’ ”
Harold, meanwhile, attributed their success to their big family, which consists of five children, 19 grandchildren, and 19 great-grandchildren. “Who can ask for anything more?” he said. “No millionaire can say that. I don’t have the million, but I have many thanks for each one of them kids were perfect. They love another, they get along, and they build their own homes which makes me proud of them.” The family who lives nearby Doreen and Harold also gets together every Saturday morning for breakfast, which has been a family tradition for 10 years.
