A pair of lovebirds who married in 1943 have been declared Europe’s oldest married couple by the European Supercentenarian Organisation.
Eduard Cuyvers, 101, and Angeline Haseldonckx, 99, who live in Houthalen-Helchteren in the Belgian province of Limburg, have been married since 30th January 1943.
Despite the bitter cold of winter and World War II, Eduard and Angeline walked through the snow to Geel Town Hall to seal their union.
Angeline recalled: “It wasn’t a joyful day. Right in the middle of the war, we had a simple and modest celebration.
“We had soup as a starter, beef stew as the main course, and rice pudding for dessert.
“Simple, but as you can see, a big celebration isn’t necessary for love to last a lifetime.”
The pair were previously listed as the fourth longest-married couple in Europe.
Last week, research into English and French data showed that one of the three longest-married couples had passed away and as of 11th January, Eduard and Angeline have been the longest-married couple in Europe.
The ESO works with volunteers who each go to their own country to look for so-called supercentenarians: people aged 110 or older.
Angeline said that there really was no secret to their success after 82 years.
She said: “But there’s a lid for every pot. Are we still in love with each other? You can be sure of that! We can’t do without each other. And I’ve never thrown him out.”
With four sons, 10 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren, and even two great-great-grandchildren, Angeline says family gatherings always turn out to be huge events.
She said: “Every time, we gather around the family table with so many people, and that’s what makes it so special.”
And Eduard added: “We love a good party. We used to dance a lot and enjoy life, and we hope to keep doing so for as long as possible. As long as we’re together, that’s what truly matters.”
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Story By: Joseph Golder, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Newsflash
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