Farmington Hills couple married 67 years give advice: 'Hug, kiss, love'
FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. (FOX 2) - She's 90, he will be soon, and they've been married for 67 years. While they may not recall as much as they once did, they still know what's important.
"Hug, kiss, love," said Heather Siegel, a former speech pathologist. "Can't ask for more than that."
Heather and her husband Sheldon Siegel, a former psychiatrist, currently live at Brookdale in Farmington Hills – a memory care facility for those with Alzheimer's and dementia.
"They are the epitome of all love as far as I'm concerned," said KaShiris Honor, the program coordinator at Brookdale.
Heather and Sheldon Siegel celebrate Valentine's Day at Brookdale in Farmington Hills on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024.
Honor has spent the last couple of years caring for the Siegels.
As FOX 2 visited Heather and Sheldon at the senior living facility on Valentine's Day, Heather sat at the piano playing "Tea for Two." Her 90-year-old fingers searched for the right keys, serenading the room.
Some days in memory care are better than others. But there, they can be together.
Heather showed FOX 2 photos from their wedding in Detroit in 1956, and recalled when they got engaged at a fancy restaurant in the city.
Heather and Sheldon Siegel with family at their wedding in Detroit nearly 68 years ago. (Provided by Heather Siegel)
"He asked me if I would be able to love him and I said ‘absolutely,’ and can he love me? And he said, ‘oh yes,’" Heather said. "So it's been a long, wonderful, consistent marriage."
One where they shared a love of food, art, travel, Shakespeare, and children.
"We have two children, and they are bright," Heather added. "One's a doctor and one's a lawyer, and they make our house a home."
In March Sheldon will turn 90, and in June the couple will celebrate 68 years of marriage.
"Heather says you have to love each other. She tells us this all the time," Honor said. "You have to love each other, and you have to listen – and we know Sheldon does a lot of that."
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