marriage: an investigation

They Have Been Married for Seven Decades and They’re Still ‘Working on It’

Photograph taken in 2013. Photo: Lauren Fleishman

They say you can never understand someone else’s marriage. But this week, New York Magazine and the Cut decided to try. We interrogated dozens of couples (and a throuple) to see what makes their marriages work — or not.

Mary and Jake Jacobs, 70 Years

The day-to-day cooking is my job; I’ve always done it, except when we expect kosher visitors. Then it’s done by my wife. We men think we’re always right, but we’re never always. My wife and I are going into 71 years of marriage and we’re still working on it. Unfortunately, Mary has a slight form of Alzheimer’s coming on. The doctors are trying their best, but they haven’t found a cure yet. But we’re hoping. She’s 89 this year, and I’m 93. —Jake Jacobs

*This article appears in the April 1, 2019, issue of New York Magazine. Subscribe Now!

Married for Seven Decades and Still ‘Working on It’