Love and dedication were in the air on Valentine’s Day at Revera Inc. homes, as they celebrated the hundreds of cumulative years their residents have been married.

Summit Place program manager Shirley MacLeod says a special Valentine’s Day dinner was held Feb. 14 to celebrate the almost 1,200 years of marriage shared between their 21 married residents.

She says one couple has been married for 73 years while their shortest marriage is six years. The average marriage in attendance was still 55.7 years.

“We went around and asked every couple how many years they’ve been married, and added them together. There were 1,170 years between them,” says MacLeod.

She says this year was special because there were more couples in attendance for the dinner and dance than usual.

Two of the husbands are residents at the Owen Sound home, and were ready with cards and flowers when their wives came to visit. Another three residents are Second World War veterans, proud that their wives stood by them during the war years. One resident is a war bride.

MacLeod says the couples were proud to represent their generation by demonstrating a commitment to their wedding vows.

Iler Lodge program manager Sara Tracey says the Essex home celebrated 350 years of marriage between five of their married couples. Ranging from 74 to 67 years of marriage, the five couples average 70 years of marriage.

Some of the home’s couples live together on the retirement side, while others are split between the long-term care and the retirement sides.

The couples were invited to an exclusive Couples Diners Club for a special Valentine’s Day meal.

Tracey, who was recently engaged in December 2010, asked each couple to share their secrets to a long and happy marriage.

“Almost in unison Mr. Olson and Mrs. Verschueren said ‘Hard work.’ Everyone else seemed to be in agreement,” says Tracey.

“Mrs. Dufour also noted the other key to a successful marriage is always saying I love you and goodnight before you go to bed and never to go to bed angry,” adds Tracey.

“Mrs. Campeau said, ‘It’s all worth it, I’d do it all again,’” she says.