RSS
News


Home Page > News > 100-year-old Irish American couple celebrates Valentine’s in Jersey

100-year-old Irish American couple celebrates Valentine’s in Jersey

Couple married 71 years says family, working hard and having fun has kept the together for so long

By
CATHY HAYES,
IrishCentral Staff Writer
Published Tuesday, February 14, 2012, 1:30 PM
Updated Tuesday, February 14, 2012, 1:37 PM

print this article Print
email this articleE-mail
comment on article 9 Comments
See more: Irish American  

Married 71 years and both 100 years old Grayce and Clarence Dwyer
Married 71 years and both 100 years old Grayce and Clarence Dwyer
Photo by Google Images


Grayce and Clarence Dwyer, who are both 100-years-old, have been married for 71 years and this Tuesday they’re celebrating St. Valentine’s Day and still very much in love.

ABC News reports that the couple still ends conversations with “I love you”.

Recently, Clarence told his wife “Grayce, I think I am very old and that I am going home soon. Will you follow me?”

She responded saying, “Like the tail of a kite."

Both Grayce and Clarence are the children of Irish immigrant families and both lost their fathers in the 1917 flu epidemic, on the same day.

The couple, from Madison, New Jersey, have four children, 17 grandchildren, and 12 great- grandchildren. At the center of their lives is their family, their faith, and the notion their family came to America in search of “The American Dream”.

-----------------

Read more:

More St. Valentine's Day stories from IrishCentral

No greater love - five Irish love stories that changed history

The top ten Irish anti-St. Valentine’s Day songs - VIDEOS

-----------------

Grayce said “We just always got along -- we came from similar lives…We were raised by mothers who taught us what was important to have a valuable life, simply put -- take care of each other and your family. Life was not meant to be easy, so you surround yourself with good people and always have a strong faith that will help you through the hard times."

Clarence, from a large Boston family, was on his way to the priesthood until he met Grayce at a dance in Brooklyn.  Grayce had quit school by that time to work. In 1941 they married.

The pair still live in their own home and get around okay with some help from aides.

Their daughter, Donna Dwyer Streaman, told ABC, “Until very recently they have been fiercely independent and still were able to cook and shop even if it meant returning to the local food market more than once a day so that they could prepare their own meals.

"We believe it is a testament to the love they have for each other.”

However, she also says that growing old has been hard for them.

Their daughter continued, “It's very sad for me to look at them now at the end of their life…A year in their life is a decade to them. One little fall can make such a tremendous change."

So what exactly is the secret to their happiness? Well it seems that working hard and having fun is the answer.

1 2 Next page >
​
See more: Irish American , St. Valentine's Day ,
print this article Print
email this articleE-mail


9 Comments

See all comments

Buffalobrave | Feb 16, 2012, 06:43 AM EST
God Bless them. They are an inspiration to all of us.

Report abuse

EileenL | Feb 16, 2012, 12:10 AM EST
Wow what a lovely couple God Bless Them,a pleasure to read their story,,great family too,Thank you Irish Central

Report abuse

Ballyphehane1 | Feb 15, 2012, 09:58 AM EST
A beautiful inspiring story.

Report abuse

Mike7571 | Feb 14, 2012, 08:17 PM EST
Awesome!

Report abuse

faberm1 | Feb 14, 2012, 08:08 PM EST
Incredible people! God bless them both. They are a true love story.

Report abuse

Curitiba | Feb 14, 2012, 06:24 PM EST
What changes they must have seen in their lives. 100 years is a very long time.

Report abuse

gobdawpaddy | Feb 14, 2012, 02:03 PM EST
Very nice story.

Report abuse

beodonne | Feb 14, 2012, 01:56 PM EST
Adorable couple.

Report abuse

hyattsville | Feb 14, 2012, 01:56 PM EST
What a lovely Valentines human interest story. Good luck to them.

Report abuse

 


IrishCentral logo
"Like" IrishCentral
IrishCentral Mobile QR code


Connect to IrishCentral with your Facebook account

or Sign-Up directly

Already Registered? Sign-In!

Welcome to IrishCentral!
Please provide the following information in order to create your account

Username:
E-Mail Address:
Password:
Confirm Password:
I agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy


Already Registered? Sign-In!
Forgot my password

Welcome to IrishCentral!
All we need is the following information and you will be part of the #1 Irish community in the US

E-Mail Address:
First select a unique username:
Username:
Now choose a password:
Password:
Confirm Password:
I agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy
Thank you!

Just one more step and you will be part of the largest Irish community in America! Tell us a little more about you to start enjoying all the features of IrishCentral.

Additional Information:

First Name:
Last Name:
Date of Birth:
Zip:
Gender: Male  Female 
Country:
Degree of Irishness:
Household Income:
Level of Education:

Subscribe to our newsletters:

The Best of IrishCentral - Daily Newsletter
Special Offers from our sponsors

or
Skip

You can edit your information at any time, just go to "my account" when you're logged in.

Log into IrishCentral with your Facebook account

or sign-in directly

E-Mail:
Password:
 Remember me Forgot my password
Not a member? Register Now!
submit to reddit
print this article Print
email this articleE-mail