Noel Thompson, Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

Seventy years of marriage is no mean achievement and Sir Howard Cooke, former governor general, and his wife, Lady Cooke, are a living example of the words 'for better or for worse', having been together for seven decades.

On their verandah at home in Brandon Hill, Montego Bay, the elderly couple recounted the years for Outlook. Lady Cooke uttered softly to Sir Howard, "You want to go first," as they prepared to answer questions.

"No, you go first," Sir Howard replied, slightly gazing in her eyes. But Lady Cooke was not to obey this time. "No, you go first," she said and being the respectful obedient husband he is, he obliged.

They met in 1938 after he and some students from Mico Teachers' College visited a school where she was working. Howard was 23 and Ivy was 22. She was a prized teacher, while he was a special junior master teacher at Mico.

"We were destined to be. From the first time I saw her, the first thing I said to her was, 'I am going to marry you'. That shocked everybody, including her. She just froze," Sir Howard recalled.

"I never said a word," Lady Cooke said.

She later became a bit reserved and when he popped the question, she always said no, but at a party sometime later, he asked to accompany her home. This time she said yes and the rest is history. He still vividly remembers the green dress she was wearing when they met.

"We gave up a lot in Kingston to adapt to a different lifestyle in the country. Lady Cooke remembers that there was neither running water nor electricity at their new home, Castle, Portland, and the toilet was half a chain from the house. "When it rained we had to set every vessel to catch water inside the house," she added.

RECIPE

Their recipe for a lasting marriage is that Sir Howard always listens to his wife's advice and he values her opinion in anything he attempts, even when he didn't agree.

"When you are young people you must sleep in the same bed all the time, even if you quarrel. In my case before day breaks, there is peace. We love each other and were faithful in spite of temptation. I didn't want to know if I had any competition for her," he said. Lady Cooke added: "Once I was around, no other woman bothered to come close."

Sir Howard has led a busy, but balanced life of a politician, a devout Christian, a Freemason, teacher and a dedicated family man. The union has produced three children - Justice Howard Cooke Jr, Richard and Audrey.