'Church, singing and sex:' Couple married 75 years reveals secret to happiness

Robert and Esther Walker still smile at each other as if they're newlyweds.

But they're far from it. On Monday, they celebrated 75 years of marriage.

The Mableton couple first met when they were teenagers living in Atlanta's Home Park neighborhood near the campus of Georgia Tech, according to WGCL.



Robert says he'll never forget the day he met Esther Doby. She was walking to church with some friends. Robert convinced her cousin to arrange a date.

"She said, 'Yeah, tell him I'll give him a date if he'll get a suit and come to church,'" recalled Robert. "So I went and bought me a suit."

"So he kind of grew on me," Esther said with a laugh.

They eloped on Friday the 13th, 1942. Robert was 20. Esther was 17. Seven months later, he was sent off to the Army to join World War II.

"When we went through the war years, I found out what it was to be alone," Ester said. "When he came home, I just vowed that I wouldn't let the sun go down with us mad with each other."

They Walkers have always kept their faith at the center of their family. Esther says what she loves most about Robert is his big heart. What he loves most about Esther is that she's always supported him.

But with the Walkers 75 years into their marriage, we wanted to know the one secret to a successful marriage.

"Well, if you have a good sex life, that helps," Esther said as she giggled.

Robert giggled in agreement.

The advice they give young couples is to simply appreciate one another. Having lived through the Great Depression, they say they've always been grateful for their strong, loving marriage.