DESPITE all hurdles, Cynthia and Simon Zukas have kept the flame burning – they clocked 65 years in marriage last Thursday.
Often the old couple usual get “You two are still together!” remarks whenever they venture into the public together.
Cynthia and Simon today celebrates 65th marriage anniversary.
The couple met in London in the early 1950s.
Simon came on the Copperbelt, Northern Rhodesia in 1938 and got involved in the local political fight against the federation of the two Rhodesians and Nyasaland.
But as a young engineer, in December, 1952, he was deported for being a trouble maker in the struggle for independence.
While in London Simon met his wife through Cynthia’s older sister and brother-in-law who were his friends.
And two years later, they both decided to get married, although there was no formal proposal before the start of their relationship.
“We were not in that sort of group of being formal,” says Simon. “We were more sort of hippies.”
But Simon had also set a condition for their marriages: he wanted Cynthia to return with him to Zambia because he had strong conviction about Zambia.
On January 30, 1954, Simon and Cynthia walked into a registry office escorted by a few friends and family and got married.
And since, they have been together as husband and wife.
On the secret of long-lasting marriage, Simon says talking is a big factor that creates a lasting bond in marriage and friendship, reports Zambia Daily Mail.
“We are friends, as we well as husband and wife,” says Simon.
Cynthia adds “When you are young it’s love – physical love, it’s being together, but when you get old, it’s sympathy. When he gets ill I look after him and if I get ill he looks after me.”
