The Secret to a Long and Happy Marriage? Always put your spouse first!

Frank and Lily Clemas are residents at Mulberry House Residential Home in Bovey Tracey. Their love story started when Frank, now 94, joined the Engineer Corps. He was stationed in Augustdorf in Germany at a Displaced Persons Camp.

Lily, a young German girl (now 102) was Frank’s cook and they secretly fell in love. When Frank moved base he still kept in touch with Lily.

After three years, Frank came back to England but soon returned to Germany to bring Lily home to Devon. She arrived at the beginning of December 1948 and they were married a couple of weeks later on December 18 when Frank was 21 years old and Lily was 30 years old.

Frank said their wedding day was a fine sunny day, and with his brother-in-law as his best man and a few family members they got married around lunchtime in a church in Plymouth. Now, 73 years later, their marriage is still going strong and has survived the test of time.

Lily had a son from a previous relationship and it wasn’t long after their wedding that Frank and Lily were blessed with a daughter. They now have two grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Frank reminisces about the great life they have had, travelling far, often to visit Lily’s family in Germany and always enjoying a good social life.

When they were younger, they liked to go dancing and he revealed that Lily is a fantastic dancer, much better than himself.

Lily recalls that Frank has always been very romantic and never forgets her birthday or their anniversary. When asked, Lily divulged that the most romantic thing Frank has ever done was to bring her back to England, and Frank had to agree, although adds that he has always brought her lots of flowers and chocolates, no matter the occasion!

The thing they are most proud of is the card they received from the Queen congratulating them on 70 years of marriage.

Lily says the secret to a long marriage is to give in, and Frank insists that a long marriage will only work with lots of hard work and keeping busy, but also that you must put your spouse first before anything else.