Ben and Peggy Coe have been married for 65 years and have spent the last 70 Valentine’s Days together. To many, that’s pretty impressive – unless you ask them. “We don’t make a big deal out of it, do we?” asked Peggy. “No,” Ben responded. The Coes have lived in Watertown since 1973. They first met in Massachusetts.
So, what’s their secret to keeping a strong marriage after all these years? “We laugh a lot and we enjoy the same things. And you know, our basic values are identical,” said Peggy. Now with four children and seven grandchildren, family means everything. They reunite at least once a year. “And that keeps us together with them, which is a joy,” said Ben.
Although the Coes lived many places before their marriage, traveled during their marriage, they decided to settle on the north country and make it their permanent home after retirement. Both Peggy and Ben were and still are heavily involved in the community. Each have been recognized over the years for their work and volunteerism, including both winning the Israel A. Shapiro Citizenship Award. Although they’ve traveled the world together to every continent except Antarctica, Watertown is where they wanted to stay.
“When I retired, we could have gone anywhere really in the U.S.,” said Ben. “This is a great place to live,” said Peggy. The Coes say this Valentine’s Day is no different than any other and no less special. “As is an anniversary, to think about our marriage and our time together and our love for another,” said Ben.