By Jeff Bahr
Since Valentine’s Day is a grand celebration of love, we at The Observer thought it prudent to include one of romance’s local success stories.
Charlie and JoAnn Dolan, of Kearny, have known blissful love for 54 years and counting. Well, blissful may be overstating things just a bit. According to JoAnn, “Longevity in marriage takes a lot of hard work, patience and endurance in good times and bad.”
To add emphasis to her point, JoAnn references the book “Have a Little Faith” by Mitch Albom. “In the book (the couple) were wed 60 years and the wife said she had about ‘30 happy years,’ ” explained Dolan. “When questioned as to how that could be when they were married for 60 years, the wife replied, ‘well ten minutes here, two hours there, a day here, another day there, it all added up to about 30 years,’ ” said Dolan. “Being happy is not a 100 percent continuous option. But one learns to ‘hang in there’ and the years fly by.”
Husband Charlie says that marriage has been more “fun and games” than not. His father once told him that the “vicissitudes of life come, but they also go.” He tries to stay mindful of that as he navigates the marriage roller coaster.
The couple met at St. Cecelia’s High School. He was an athlete, she a cheerleader. As such, it was almost a foregone conclusion that the two would cross paths. JoAnn says that this dynamic has followed them through the years. It was always, “Yea Charlie, Rah Dolan…Yea Rah Charlie Dolan!” she says.
The Dolans have three grown children: Danny, Mary Jo, and Bernadette, and no fewer than eight grandchildren. If you think these latest additions to the brood play on the couple’s nerves, think again. “If we knew grandchildren were so much fun, we would have had them first!” quips JoAnn.
“As we are aging – much too rapidly – the aches and pains abound,” says JoAnn about the couple’s current challenges in life. “But we are determined to be there for each other – for better or worse.” These last four words represent a simple yet profound promise that has sustained the couple for more than half a century. We should all know such love.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
