Local Couple’s Secret to 7-Decade Marriage: What’s Right with Tampa Bay
Donald and Doris Gilliland have been happily married for 73 years and their love story is what’s right with Tampa Bay.
They first met in the ninth grade in Indiana in 1946, which was also the year the first electronic digital computer was built.
The couple hit it off immediately and have been inseparable ever since.
They went on their first date to see a basketball game and soon after, they got married in 1950.
Donald worked as a railroad conductor for 60 years before retiring and the couple moved to the Brookdale Palmer Ranch assisted living facility in Sarasota after retiring.
Their secret to a successful marriage? “Just do what you’re told,” says Doris with a laugh.
The couple has never fought and their love has only grown stronger over the years.
At 92 and 93 years old, Doris and Donald are still going strong and their love story is a testament to the enduring power of true love.
