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Husband in World’s Longest Marriage Dies at 105
 He
claimed the secret to his long marriage was “Yes Dear”
June 15, 2005 – The man who claimed the secret to
his 80 years of marriage was “Yes Dear” has died at the age of 105, only
two weeks after celebrating his anniversary on June 1 with wife,
Florence, who is 100. Percy Arrowsmith died at his home in Hereford,
England. They were honored on their anniversary by the Guinness World
Records for the longest marriage of a living couple and the oldest
married couple in aggregate age.
They were married on June 1, 1925
On June 1, the
London Times covered the anniversary celebration and said, “the key
to their long marriage is not to go to sleep on an argument. They say
they always kiss each other and hold hands each night before going to
bed.”
“He can’t settle down if I’m not holding his
hand,” Mrs. Arrowsmith said, according to the Times report.
The couple’s foster daughter, Jane Woolley, said
her parents had received more than 80 cards as well as gifts. The
63-year-old said: "They are opening their cards surrounded by
arrangements of flowers and bottles of wine.
"And they’ve had a celebratory card from the Queen
with a special little message inside. It says, ‘What a splendid
achievement. I send you my warm congratulations and best wishes for your
80th wedding anniversary on the 1st June 2005’."
Mrs Woolley, who calls her mother 'Nannie', added
that her parents were both "very perky".
She said: "Nannie’s still reading cards and
drinking sherry, which she says is a bit naughty because it’s earlier
than she should do. She normally has one before lunch but she started
half an hour early today.
"She says she can’t dance any longer but it feels
good to have been married for 80 years. She says she can still have a
drink."
The Guardian reported the couple met through the church in the early
1920s. Percy sang in the choir at All Saints church in Hereford, and
Florence taught at Sunday school. "I think we just came to the agreement
that we would get married," said Mrs Arrowsmith, who is 100 years old.
Mr Arrowsmith recalled how proud he was when he was able to say "on
behalf of myself and my wife" in his wedding speech. Within three years
the couple moved into the terrace council house where they still live.
Mrs Arrowsmith claimed the key to a happy union was
never to go to bed as enemies. Mr Arrowsmith joked that the secret could
be summed up in two words: "Yes dear."
They had three children, six grandchildren and nine
great-grandchildren.
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