The keys to being Valentines for all time

Mona thought she was an excellent ice skater over 60 years ago, when she skated into the life of her future husband, Jim Hart.

Mona confided that she wasn't excellent, but a "fairly good" skater who frequented the makeshift skating rink, where she met Jim, at Ballinger Park in Flint, Mich.

"He had a car and I didn't," Mona said of her future husband.

What was the attraction for her?

"He seemed happy and easy going, and he had a car, remember," Mona replied.

The Harts are one of many couples in Highlands County who fell in love, got married and stayed in love for years and decades and still counting.

With so many things to argue about such as money, sex, work and the kids - what is the key to an enduring and happy marriage?

"Give and take ... grin and bear it" and not interfering with the other's pastimes is their secret to staying together, Mona said.

Jim plays golf and Mona likes to knit.

"He said that if I never played golf he would never learn to knit," Mona said with a big laugh.

Jim said the secret to their happy and lasting marriage is "me giving up and her accepting, I guess.

"We get along pretty good. We have our disagreements occasionally like most people, but we settle them."

The Harts celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary Thursday in Sebring. They live five months of the year in Clarkston, Mich.

Don't be mad at the same time

Charles and Mary Jo Miller, of Sebring, have been married 65 years.

During World War II, Charles' mother invited Mary Jo over to meet her son who was on furlough.

"So I went over and met him and knew he was the guy right away," Mary Jo said. "He had that personality and that blonde hair."

Charles said "she was everything I ever thought about a wife should be."

Though they have similar likes, they are opposites in some ways.

Mary Jo said, "I like to do things fast and he's slower. He's very detailed. At the office they called him 'Mr. Detail.'"

Mary Jo said, "Once in while we have a disagreement, but we always settle it."

Charles said, "we just try to never get mad at each other at the same time."

Press the stop button during a disagreement

Raymond and Lois Madigan of Sebring were high school sweethearts.

"Six children later we know we made the right decisions and we are very happily married," Lois said.

That's happily married for 58 years.

"You can't say it's a 50-50 deal, you just have to give a little and take a little and understand each other and work things out," Lois said. "When you get married it's 'a lifetime commitment' is the way we feel about it."

Raymond said, "we understand one another and we talk about it and don't get too disgusted with each other."

The Madigans avoid lengthy arguments.

"We will think things out and one will stop and the other will stop," Raymond said. "We just don't get into any long dragged-out battles."

Listen to your spouse's version or opinion on a disputed issue, he recommended.

"There are two sides to every story and you can't make a judgment until you hear both sides," Raymond noted. "When somebody is telling their side, guess who's side is right?"

Couples will have mutual interests, but there will also be different areas of interest for the husband and wife.

"Some things I don't like to do and others my wife doesn't like to do so we compromise and go each way," he said. "If everybody did it my way it would be one heck of a boring world."

Let's face it; nothing is perfect, Raymond noted.

"There are peaks and valleys and I'm glad there are more peaks than valleys," he said. "We just go along and work it out and make sure that the best interests for both of us comes out in the end."

Dedication to making each other happy

John and Barbara Black of Sebring will be celebrating their golden wedding anniversary in December.

"Like many young girls, I was looking for my knight in shining armor on a big white horse," Barbara said. "I first met him when he was delivering newspapers in our community.

"I used to hide his bike and of course he didn't think it was as funny as I did."

A few years later Barbara saw John again. This time he was pumping gas at a local station.

He called out, "Hey, when are we going out?" (that must have been the line they were using then), Barbara said. "Of course I responded, 'Call me!'"

But, the phone didn't ring for a long time.

Then out of the blue he called.

The reason for the delay, John didn't know Barbara's last name.

How did they survive the years of raising four children, 12 grandchildren, three dogs and many, many cats in a small New Jersey town?

"A wonderful sense of humor and dedication to making each other happy at all cost," Barbara said. "We had our ups and downs but always remembered that we were here for each other, no matter what.

"We have many opposites and just as many traits that complement each other and no matter how we stir the pot, the end result is always a memory we will lovingly share."

Remember what brought you together

John Gregalot first met the girl he would marry on a Saturday night at Russin's barn dance in Watertown, Conn.

After finishing a dance with one young lady, John walked her to her table and then he started walking across the dance floor to where he had been sitting.

His path brought him closer and closer to the person he would spend the rest of his life with.

"As we met in the center of the floor, I saw this young lady's face and the thought came to my mind 'that's the girl I want to marry,'" John said. "I asked her to dance and we danced. Then two months later we were married."

John and Nellie, both 92, of Sebring have been married for 70 years.

"The secret is I never forget that moment when I saw her face and said, "that's the girl I want to marry,'" John said. "It was spontaneous and I never forgot that moment."

There are times of discourse, however that moment stays with me, he said. It comes from the heart.

"That moment is related to our marriage," John said. "So our marriage spells out instant love."

Unfortunately people don't remember what brought them together, he noted.

Best friends forever and ever

Michael and Phyllis Hargrave, who winter in Sebring and live in New Albany, Ind., will be married 41 years in May.

Phyllis said, "I can happily say I still love my husband very much and I am thankful every day that he is my soul mate.

"My husband tells everyone he learned those two important words, 'Yes, dear!' But we both agree that we have always had common goals with our marriage, life and the kids."

After 40 years of marriage their feelings haven't changed.

"We still talk a lot and have affection for each other," Phyllis said. "We also have the strength to support each other and be kind to each other. I always want him to be happy!

"He is my best friend, forever and ever!"