Carlyn, 98, and Irv Ungar, 99, got married 75 years ago on Valentine’s Day. (CBS)
CHICAGO (CBS) — In 1938, the average car was $800.
The Cubs lost the World Series.
Orson Welles shook up the country with his “War Of The Worlds” radio show.
And, as CBS 2′s Ed Curran reports, on this date in 1938, Irv and Carlyn Ungar got married.
To help you with the math, that’s 75 years ago. They first met 80 years ago, in 1933.
Why Valentines Day?
“I thought, you know, I might have trouble remembering the date,” Irv said. “But there will always be a Valentine’s Day to use and that’s how we picked it.”
Carlyn says it worked. Irv’s never forgotten–75 straight years. That’s a pretty good streak.
Carlyn was asked whether the old adage about how couples have to work to make a marriage work is true.
“You bet,” she said.
Carlyn says it’s not enough to go 50-50. Each side has to give at least 60 percent.
“So if you go 60 and I go 60, we’ll make it,” she said. “And, believe me, there were times that even 60-60 didn’t work.”
There’s another factor.
“Looking back, we had periods of being separate,” said Irv.
Irv had business trips, and Carlyn spent time working at a camp.
It gave them a little space.
Irv is 99. Carlyn turns 99 next month.
They share a strong faith. They love their neighborhood, and it’s clear they love each other.
With scrapbooks, they often reflect on their life together.
“And when we run out of conversation, we say ‘When did we do thus and so.’ And we’ll look it up in the diary and then we’ll talk about that,” Carlyn said. “And the mutuality that we have just makes good conversation.”
The Ungars have lived in their condo since 1964.
Their daughter, Caryl, and son, Edward, are coming to town to celebrate. In fact, their son and his wife have been married for 50 years now.
