How long have you and your Valentine been together? Can you imagine having the same Valentine for more than 60 years? Donna and Raymond Whitmer have been married 66 years, it'll be 67 years in August. And after all these years they are still so happy to be able to call each other their Valentine. "Never wanted any other woman. I loved her and I still do," said Raymond. And Donna said, "He's been faithful through the years, providing for me."
Floran and Naomi Mast are also happy to have each other as their Valentine's this year. They've been married for 65 years.
June 15th 1947, That's when Floran and Naomi Mast said "I do" almost 66 years later they're still together. "She's a hard worker, a very good cook, and dependable and she's just been a wonderful, wonderful companion," said Floran Mast of his wife Naomi.
The two met all those years ago at Floran's brother's wedding. "We had that first date and from then on that was it," said Floran.
These days we hear about weddings ending in mere months So what's the Mast's secret? "When we got married we said for better for worse until death do we part and we meant it," said Floran. They've never let the "for worse" part tear them apart. "You always go through difficult times and good times so you have to take the good and the bad and sort em out and that's what makes a marriage," said Naomi.
Naomi said she left her family in Ft. Wayne to marry Floran in Nappanee , which was a big change. And the changes didn't stop there, but going with the flow is another reason their marriage has lasted. "You just have to make some changes, and some disappointments, and then you adjust. And that's why too many marriages don't last because people don't learn how to adjust and be happy in what they have," said Naomi.
This Valentine's Day Naomi and Floran admit they're both still very happy with what they have.
We asked them about the best gifts they've received for this holiday. Their answer is perhaps another secret to their long marriage, they've never focused on big gifts. "It's better to show your love and tell them you love them and act like you love them," said Floran.
