Perfect Advice From A Couple Married for 60 Years!
how many couples do you know that have celebrated their 60th anniversary? i happen to know only one – my very own nana & papa!
their official anniversary is in a few months but they were smart and celebrated with an anniversary party while the family was in town over christmas!
here are the grandkids (all the ladies in the photo) along with our significant others!
the anniversary party was held at the very hip roosevelt hotel in downtown kansas city, missouri. as i watched the room continue to fill with people arriving to celebrate my grandparents’ love (some of whom drove hours to get there and with an impending ice storm slated to start any minute) i couldn’t help but feel proud. 
i teared up multiple times that night hearing stories from friends they have had since 5th grade and others they met after moving to KCMO 5 years ago. there was a theme in what i heard: every person told me how kind, genuine and generous my grandparents are with most following up with “oh and they are just so fun!”
they meet when they were teenagers, after my grandpa and his buddy visited the ice cream shop where my grandma and her best friend worked! is that not the cutest?!
my grandparents have served as superb role models for my own marriage. my husband and i talk about how we appreciate their honesty that sometimes it gets hard but at the end of the day, there is still no one else they would rather travel the world with or drink coffee together every morning.
my mom gave a beautiful toast, throwing in some sage advice about what they told us when we got married: to always rent separate kayaks (which we put to the test last year)!
my grandpa then spoke and turned me into a complete blubbering granddaughter.
he said that 60 years might not sound like a lot, to which everyone was like “oh yes it does!” with the same firmness buddy the elf uses to respond when his boss says there is no singing at the north pole, “oh yes there is!”
he went on to say that they have shared 720 full moons together, 3,120 friday night dates, 21,900 cups of coffee and when they had two cups of coffee that would be over 40,000 cups of coffee and that’s a big deal! i am tearing up again, good work pops.
at one point during the night, someone asked if they had any more wedding photos to share from 60 years ago to which my husband and i heard my grandma say “oh darn! i wish i would have brought them!” my husband, being the sweet man he is, snuck off (taking my brother-in-law with him) to drive the 30+ minutes away to their home and get their wedding album! after my grandpa teased him about breaking and entering, they couldn’t stop smiling and looking at the album with their friends! swoon.
it was of course a happy celebration but also moments of sadness as my grandpa looked at his side of the wedding party and said all of his groomsmen had passed away. although one of my grandma’s bridesmaid also passed away, two were able to be there and also my cousin debra, who was the littlest flower girl!
when i asked nana what she has loved the most about her 60 year marriage, she said the friendship she continues to enjoy with my grandpa – her best friend.
when the same question was asked to papa, he exclaimed “her cooking, of course!” ha! typical but i can personally attest that my grandma is an incredible cook.
they are so loved by every person they encounter and also do many acts of service in their community, one of which is working weekly with the homeless shelter. i am so grateful to have them as my very own grandparents.
photo by shannon mulcahey
over our time together this past christmas, i asked them what makes their marriage work and both of them agreed that communication plays a vital role in a healthy and happy marriage. they also said how important they have found it to have their own interests and hobbies separate from one another. this gives you stories and experiences to come back home and share with each other.
so that perfect advice from a couple married for 60 years? get ready for it.
when i asked them what advice they have to other married couples after 60 years of marriage, my grandma said “each relationship and marriage is different. i don’t think i could give any advice because people have to do what works best for them!”
i though that was a beautiful response because it gives permission for all of us to not do what is ‘expected’ of us but rather what works for us and our marriage. she is obviously the original new wifestyle! cheers to you both and cheers to more anniversaries celebrated together!
Audrey
January 11, 2016 at 10:46 am
This is too cute, Chelsea 🙂 I was tearing up as I read all the full moons and cups of coffee your grandparents have shared! So, so sweet!
Audrey recently posted…Things I Never Knew I Never Knew
chelsea
January 11, 2016 at 10:57 am
isn’t that the sweetest?! i pictured him at this calculator when he was writing out this toast and memorizing those numbers and i LOVE it!
Nina @ Hugs and Lattes
January 11, 2016 at 10:47 am
This is SO. STINKIN. BEAUTIFUL. My grandparents celerbated their 50th a few years ago, and it was so beautiful to celebrate with them! I love that we have beautiful role models of marriage in this day and age where we’ve become a “microwave minute” society. Reading about your grandparents’ anniversary celebration made me feel so happy for you and for them! So precious <3
Nina @ Hugs and Lattes recently posted…Win Free Stuff and Be Cute
chelsea
January 11, 2016 at 10:57 am
awww yay to your grandparents celebrating 50 years together, nina! right you are how lucky we are to have solid role models of marriage since ‘the microwave minute society’ (i like that…in a sad but true way)!
Debra
January 11, 2016 at 1:06 pm
We were so honored to be able to celebrate this very special ocassion with everyone. They truly are two of the most wonderful people I have ever met. I am so lucky to be a part of this caring and loving family.
chelsea
January 12, 2016 at 9:16 am
so fun to get to see you debra! i feel lucky too and love that you still had the dress!
chelsea recently posted…Perfect Advice From A Couple Married for 60 Years!
Vivien
January 11, 2016 at 1:58 pm
The first picture you put on your blog, and I’m thinking “wowzers, that sure looks like a couple that had a load of fun in their entire relationship!” And such a couple they are then and now!
Congrats to them both and what wonderful, practical advice!
Vivien recently posted…Why I Almost Vowed to Never Enter a Tall Tales Contest
chelsea
January 12, 2016 at 9:18 am
i sure think so – they really do have a lot of fun together! i will be sure to pass on congratulations to them 🙂 thanks vivien!
Elyse
January 11, 2016 at 2:42 pm
What amazing role models you have! I’ll admit I teared up. I was also thinking about my own grandparents – we were planning their 60th wedding anniversary last year unfortunately my grandfather died somewhat unexpectedly 5 weeks shy of their 60th.
Elyse recently posted…What Does 29 Look Like?
chelsea
January 12, 2016 at 9:19 am
i really am quite lucky to have them! i am so sorry to hear about your grandfather passing unexpectedly 5 weeks before their 60th – how heartbreaking to your whole family and especially your grandma, elyse 🙁
Charlene
January 11, 2016 at 2:44 pm
Oh my goodness. This is so perfect! My grandparents on my mom’s side celebrated 60 years last year and my grandparents on my dad’s side celebrated 50 years in 2011. I certainly have some great role models to look up to. And I am so thankful for them! I’m glad your grandparents had such a lovely party. That picture of your grandma and her bridesmaids is priceless! Love it!
Charlene recently posted…6 Scriptures to Turn to When You Feel Anxious
chelsea
January 12, 2016 at 9:20 am
aww yay! congratulations to your all of your grandparents charlene – so many decades together! isn’t that so fun that her bridesmaid were able to be there? it was so fun to get to hear them talk and giggle together!
Hana Bilqisthi
January 11, 2016 at 7:00 pm
wow your grandparent are really wise. I like their advice “each relationship and marriage is different. i don’t think i could give any advice because people have to do what works best for them!” ”
Thank you for sharing! 😀
chelsea
January 12, 2016 at 9:20 am
thank you for your comment, hana! i thought it was incredibly wise advice, though it did surprise me at first because i wanted a definite “DO THIS!” but of course – it is perfect 🙂
Donna
January 11, 2016 at 8:06 pm
My parents made it to 64 and were planning a celebration for their 65th before Dad died. Couples like my parents and your grandparents have set a great example and are an inspiration to me! 🙂
chelsea
January 12, 2016 at 9:21 am
they really have set such great examples for us indeed, donna! so wonderful to hear they made it to 64 years together, that makes my heart happy!
Amberly
January 11, 2016 at 9:53 pm
How awesome for them!! 60 years is a big accomplishment!
Amberly recently posted…The Secret to Successful Goal Setting as a Couple
chelsea
January 12, 2016 at 9:22 am
i sure think so too! i feel so lucky that we could all be there to celebrate them and hear more stories about them!
Rachel G
January 11, 2016 at 10:53 pm
Aww, how sweet! Reading this brought tears to my eyes. Congrats to them, and boy, you really have an awesome family! My grandparents on both sides aren’t too far off from 60–I think one set is at 57 and the other’s at 52. It would be cool if we’re back in the USA when they celebrate!
Rachel G recently posted…Universal Studios Singapore Trip Report
chelsea
January 12, 2016 at 9:23 am
i will pass along the congrats, rachel – thank you! i try to really appreciate just how lucky i am with the family i was given! that would be so fun if you were back in the states to celebrate with your grandparents, that is so wonderful they have been together for so long too!
Hannah Haworth
January 11, 2016 at 11:42 pm
Ahh this is absolutely wonderful and what sound advice! Yep your grandpa had me choking up at the 40k cups of coffee too! What a lovely post. You’ve made my morning. And the biggest congratulations to your grandparents.
Hannah Haworth recently posted…What I learned in the First Year of Marriage
chelsea
January 12, 2016 at 9:24 am
isn’t that the sweetest?!? i had a lot of happy tears streaming down my face. glad it lifted up your morning and i will pass along the congratulations to them! thanks hannah!
Kate
January 13, 2016 at 9:39 am
That is so sweet! Congratulations to your grandparents on so many wonderful years of marriage! I love that they still refer to the other as their best friend, because that is how my husband and I feel about each other!
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chelsea
January 13, 2016 at 11:25 am
i love that too and i sure hope we are still best friends when we celebrate our 60th too!