Florida Couple Celebrates 75 Years of Marriage

On Aug. 14, 1945, Japan surrendered to end World War II. As the news reached Louisville, Kentucky, the university cancelled classes, factories blew their whistles and the sale of booze was permitted across the state.

The revelers got quite rowdy, some even firing guns into the air. Sailors kissed “every girl they could get their hands on,” according to the following day’s newspaper, and two police officers were suspended for abandoning their duties to get drunk.

Amongst the chaos, Tess and Paul Silverman found each other and never separated for the next seven decades. Tess had been waiting for a streetcar that never came, and Paul said he could give her a ride. “In those days,” Tess said, “you wouldn’t think twice about taking a ride from a handsome stranger.”

Tess went away for college, but Paul visited often. They were married on Tess’ parents’ anniversary for good luck.

The couple had three children together and made New Jersey their home before retiring to Sun City Center, a senior living facility in Florida. They have traveled all over the world with each other. Israel, Peru, South Africa and Japan are just some of the countries visited.

They celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary in June 2021. According to the Silvermans, the key to a good marriage is communication about what you really want. They had a clear plan for their lives and always made decisions as a couple.

The Silvermans are very grateful to have shared their lives together. “When you get to this stage, we think about that a lot — a lot,” Tess said. “How lucky we are to have each other.”