The secret to a successful marriage is to have a wife with a lot of patience.
That's what Delbert Wood, better known as Deb, said while his patient wife, Dorothy, waited to add that it's important to marry a kind man like Deb.
Oh, and they love each other, too.
Dorothy, 83, and Deb Wood, 85, will celebrate 65 years of married bliss this Saturday. They will mark the occasion with family and all their friends at Asher Place, a complex for seniors.
Just because they've lived a long and happy life, doesn't mean it's not still filled with adventure.
In January, the couple visited Mexico for three weeks to spend time with family.
And there's still a first time for everything.
While in Mexico Deb wore his first pair of shorts and got a sunburn for his trouble and then he got an amusing pedicure. He didn't know how ticklish he was until he had to sit through the toe-nail trimming treat.
The adventure together started just after the Second World War.
Deb was working in a sawmill in Hinton when he first met Dorothy on May 24 and that winter of 1946, they worked in the same lumber camp.
"I was the cook's helper," said Dorothy
"She was the flunky," laughed Deb.
The two decided to get married in Edmonton on May 19, 1947.
The couple have six children - three boys and three girls. There's Donald, Diana, Darryl, Dolores, Doreen and David. The children range in age from 64 to 55. There are 14 grandchildren and the eighth great-grandchild was born August 16 of last year.
"They turned out good, very good," Deb said proudly about their children. "That had a lot to do with Dorothy because she's a real homemaker."
Not surprisingly, Dorothy didn't work outside the home. Raising six children was a full time job.
During that time, Deb worked as a Cat operator, then moved on as foreman and supervisor after that for companies building roads in the bush. He even worked in the oil fields for a bit as well.
Deb and Dorothy lived on Radcliffe Drive for 40 years but when Dorothy had her heart attack in 2003, it was difficult to maintain so they moved to a smaller home and then found their way to Asher Place four years ago.
Deb enjoyed working and continues to work part-time today. He mows the fairways at Yellowhead and Pine Valley golf courses a few days a week.
"I make good money doing this job and I get free golf and I really enjoy it," said Deb, who only started to golf when he turned 60. "I see all kinds of interesting people out there on the course, you know? I'm not a very good golfer but I sure have fun out there."
Nowadays, Dorothy loves to knit. Right now she's creating a beautiful sweater for one of her great-grandchildren.
Deb plays several musical instruments and just got a new Mexican mandolin from his daughter that she recently brought back from her extended vacation there.
Deb and Dorothy make preserves together and she just did a recent batch of raspberry and strawberry jam from their frozen fruit supply. The pair get fruit from family in the Okanagan.
"Then we pretty much supply everyone in our apartment building with jam," said Dorothy.
"We've got a factory going here," Deb joked.
The apartment complex they've lived in for the last four years has about 40 people in it and they gather together often for movies, birthday teas and other activities.
"We love it here," said Dorothy. "We're like one big happy family."
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