What are the secrets to a lasting marriage?  

 It’s a question many people ask themselves.  

 We caught up with Adventist Aged Care Kings Langley residents Peter and Dorothy Schoon who’ve been married for more than 60 years, and shared their words of wisdom.  

 Peter, 83 and Dorothy, 81 met on a blind date.  

“I was living in Cooma in the Snowy Mountains. My now brother-in-law was dating my sister and he asked me to come along to the movies with them,” Dorothy said.   

At the time Peter was living more than four hours away in Orange.  

“I was visiting my family in Cooma and my now brother-in-law was boarding at their place and that’s how I first met him. He just came up and said, ‘I’ve got a date for you tonight, come along,’” Peter said.  

The rest was history. After their first meeting, Peter travelled back and forth from Orange to Cooma until Dorothy eventually moved to Orange and they married.   

“We’ve been married for 60 years now, and they’ve been good years,” Peter said.   

They have three children and five grandchildren to add to their long and happy marriage.   

“We are thankful the Lord has brought us this far. We have much to be thankful for, even bringing us here to the Retirement Village at Kings Langley, I think has been a real blessing.”  

Peter and Dorothy said they complement each other well and that they live in a happy home.  When asked if they had any advice for others, they both said compatibility was key, alongside acceptance.  

“Accept the faults and don’t try to fix them, don’t try to change them. Accept your partner for who they are,” Dorothy said. “A marriage is also about give and take – try to avoid getting upset and arguing.”  

Peter said when it came to accepting the faults, it helped to be open and honest.    

“If you truly love one another then you can overcome a lot of things.”    

To find out more about Adventist Aged Care Independent Living and Residential Care, or to arrange a tour of our facilities, contact our friendly staff by calling 02 8834 6100 for Kings Langley or 02 9487 0600 for Wahroonga or visit our website.