Residents at Charleston senior center share their secrets to lasting love
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – Love is in the air this Valentine’s Day, and to celebrate, News 2 visited a local senior living facility to uncover what makes love last.
Residents at Brookdale Charleston Assisted Living Community in West Ashley danced the night away Thursday with former Voice contestant and St. George native Dylan Carter providing the music for a Valentine’s Day dance and dinner.
While in attendance, News 2 spoke with a few Brookdale residents to learn their stories of love and how they kept that connection for decades.
Susan & Conrad Zakis
Susan and Conrad moved to Charleston from Pittsburgh 40 years ago after Conrad’s job at US Steel brought them to the area.
The pair had been burned by love in the past as they were both divorced when they met at a support group meeting for single parents.
As soon as Susan walked in the door to the meeting, Conrad was the first person she met. At first, she said she thought Conrad was kind of ‘nerdy’ until the group met for a swimming party at the local YMCA.
“When he walked out in his bathing suit, I was kind of like, oh okay,” Susan explained. “He was very muscular. Right then and there, I was like, hmmm.”
The two didn’t start dating exclusively right away, though. Susan and Conrad dated other people for a while but would always stay in touch.
The pain from previous marriages caused them to hesitate at the beginning.
“We just didn’t want to make that jump, but it was inevitable,” Susan said. “He’s my soulmate.”
Eventually, one night after Susan went with Conrad to his cousin’s wedding, Conrad said to her, “You know, we should really just stop dating everybody else.” Confused, Susan asked what he meant.
“Well, maybe we should get married,” Conrad replied.
That conversation took place one August night, and by the following March, the couple was wed.
Decades later, Susan said the main things that kept them together were communication, valuing family, and sharing a religion. Those values have helped Susan and Conrad keep their relationship strong and endure the loss of two children and a grandchild.
“There’s some good times and bad times,” Susan stated. “I wouldn’t change a minute.”
Larry and Janet Russo
Decades ago, a young sailor from Long Island agreed to go on a blind date with his buddy’s girlfriend’s friend from Maine. That blind date later turned into a marriage in 1953, and 71 years later, Larry and Janet Russo are still going strong.
When asked why Larry decided to propose, he said, ” loved her. She was the love of my life.”
Through those 71 years, Larry and Janet have enjoyed traveling the world together, spending time in Hawaii and Europe, but how did they keep their relationship strong for so long?
Janet will tell you it was because they supported each other through everything and took it one day at a time, but Larry, well, his answer was simple, “Janet!”
Jean Dowty
It was the end of World War II when Jean met an American GI while living in her home country of England. 20-year-old Jean had hopped on a bus picking up local young women and was taken to the nearby American hospital for a dance.
That’s where Jean was first introduced to her soon-to-be husband, Linwood. When they met, Lin knew instantly, telling his friend that he had found the girl he would marry.
Although Lin was certain, Jean remained unsure for a while. He proposed to her several times before she accepted.
“It took about four or five times for him to persuade me,” Jean explained.
Finally, Jean accepted in 1945, and the two were married. Soon after, she decided to relocate to the States.
When it came time to move, Jean boarded the Queen Mary, a troop ship that transported service members and their families back home after the war, and set sail for America.
“It was not a glamourous liner,” Jean recalled. “We slept in bunks. There was nothing fancy about it at all.”
Jean and Lin remained together until Lin passed away in 1971. Jean shared some wisdom she learned from her 26-year marriage to Lin.
“I think in any marriage, you have to be willing to make adjustments. You have to be willing to see things from the other person’s perspective,” she said. “You know, we’re so convinced that what we say is right and what we do is right, but we have to look at somebody else’s opinion.”
In the years since Lin’s passing, Jean’s family has continued to grow and keep her company. She is the matriarch of five children, twenty-five grandchildren, and fifty-five great-grandchildren.
Michael Marrillo
A love that blossomed in youth; that’s how Michael and Kathleen’s story began.
The two went to high school together and belonged to the same roller-skating club. They dated for a while and eventually married, the union lasting for 52 years until Kathy passed away.
“It’s something you don’t forget,” Michael said. “It was just one of those things, you meet somebody and say to yourself that’s who I got to live with.”
Kathy’s beauty and brains attracted Michael the most, “she was the most beautiful woman in the world,” he said.
Even though Michael is Italian and Kathy was Irish, the two just clicked, and they built a life off that connection, including two daughters who inherited Kathy’s beauty.
“I don’t know how to explain it; I just wish I had her back,” Michael stated.
Michael still finds love in his two daughters and their children despite missing Kathy. His youngest daughter hosts weekly family dinners on Sundays, during which she makes her mom’s old recipes.
