There are many keys to a great marriage and home life.
For some, it's the shared love for adventure and the willingness to create spectacular memories. For others, it's the great sense of sharing responsibilities in life.
One couple has withstood not only the test of time, but has gone through what many of us can't begin to fathom completely — and it's all because of one beautiful marital secret.
As United States Army veterans, the Dudleys have both seen and experienced tragedy and loss. But at the end, they found each other, and have created a life of joy together.
In an interview with Tulsa World, they got nostalgic about their past, and about how electric their connection was from the very beginning.
At the end, they reveal the one true secret to the success of their marriage, and it is one that we should all hold close to our hearts…
Read on to find out this couple's touching story, and let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
Come this December, Jay and Winifred Dudley will have been married for 70 years. The two of them have shared more than a lifetime together: they grew up in the same town, went to the same high school, and also survived the same war.
Their mothers were close friends, and they were always acquainted growing up. But their friendship only blossomed into love well after the conclusion of World War II.
In 1942, Jay volunteered to enter the Army Air Corps. There, he was trained to be an aircraft mechanic, and was sent to England the following year. Though he never engaged in direct combat, Jay served in four European countries, and later had to undergo four surgeries to mend a job-related back injury.
Meanwhile, in 1943, Winifred was helping to assemble B-24 bombers at the Douglas Aircraft Company in Tulsa. And after hearing that women could join the military, she chose to enter the Women’s Army Air Corps. For the next two years, she was stationed at eight bases across the country. There, she helped take care of air transport needs, and was even assistant to the chaplain.
Winifred quickly grew accustomed to military life. “In the military you learned to obey and follow orders, discipline,” she said. “You learned to get by with nothing — to sit on a foot locker because you didn’t have a chair. I matured pretty quick. And I’m very glad I did it.”
In November of 1945, after the war had ended, Winifred returned home to attend her grandfather’s funeral. By chance, she bumped into Jay downtown. The two of them caught up, and went to the drugstore to get some sodas. “And doggone it,” said Jay, “if I didn’t marry her.”
In an instant, their plans shifted. Winifred had planned to ship out for Okinawa soon after, but instead, she went down the aisle on December 4, 1945. The Dudleys got married after courting for three weeks. “It was either get married or go to Okinawa,” Winifred joked.
They went on to have four children, and have lived in several cities in Arkansas before settling down in Tulsa 25 years ago. Today, Winifred is still incredibly active; she volunteers at the VA clinic, and is especially involved with blind and visually impaired veterans.
Even though she’s had issues with her back lately, Winifred remains encouraged. “I thank the Lord I’m doing as good as I am. [At the VA], I see people come in with no arms or legs, in wheelchairs. I’m just real thankful."
Of all that they have learned over the past 70 years of marriage, the lovebirds have learned that there’s only one secret to a successful relationship: “Put God at the head of your life,” said Winifred. “You can survive everything.” “Absolut
This is a marriage I think we can all admire, respect, and aspire to. You certainly don't come across relationships like this very often, especially in today's world!
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