OUR COMMUNITY
Lasting Love Two long-married couples share their advice for a happy marriage. ASHLEY ZLATOPOLSKY CONTRIBUTING WRITER
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hether you’re single, married or anything in-between, Valentine’s Day is a celebration of love. Sometimes, people fall in love at a young age, while others fall in love later in life. In Jewish Metro Detroit, there are thousands of love stories each unique in their own way. Here are two examples of how love can take form, grow and evolve with time, sometimes surprising us all. BEN AND SHELLEY SKELTON When Philadelphia-born artist Shelley Skelton, now 80, moved to Metro Detroit in her younger years and married, she thought her life was set. But plans changed, and Shelley and her husband, a practicing dermatologist, divorced. Now embarking on a new path in life, Shelley Skelton discovered love accidentally without really looking for it. In the late 1970s, while taking on a new job as a secretary to a sales manager of a real estate firm, Shelley met Ben Skelton, now 78, who was the office manager at the time. At a sales meeting, Ben took one look at her and determined that Shelley was both beautiful and smart. From there, they began to privately date — and eventually got married in 1980, with a truly unforgettable ceremony. Set to be married by a friend of Ben’s
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FEBRUARY 10 • 2022
who worked as a judge, Ben and Shelley on the campus of Jewish Senior Life, prepared for the big day, only to learn where Ben and Shelley have a cozy that the judge had to sit for a murder apartment filled with Shelley’s artwork. trial at the very last minute. Determined When they’re not spending time to get married regardless, they moved with children and grandchildren, Ben their wedding to the courthouse with the and Shelley enjoy playing mahjong and murder trial, families and Rummikub. With Ben witnesses in town. They prone to helping Shelley joined their two families make the right moves in together, with Ben having the games, she refers to one child from a previous him as “the muscles” in marriage and Shelley havthe relationship. Ben also ing two children from her enjoys walking the campus, previous marriage. which has plenty of green “He was very good to space. Shelley says he chats my children,” Shelley says. with everyone he meets “They really loved him.” along the way, always Ben and When their children friendly and eager to learn Shelley Skelton were grown, Ben and about others. Shelley moved to Bonita “We are not so much Springs, Florida, in 2005, where they alike, and we don’t always agree, but we lived for 15 years, and both worked in can agree to disagree on things,” Shelley real estate. Shelley was highly involved says of what holds their marriage togethin Jewish life. “I was very active in er. “We just love being with family. The Hadassah Florida,” she says. “I was actubiggest asset we have together is that ally president of the chapter down there, we’re both very family-oriented.” and I was editor of their news magazine.” Yet, as the couple grew into their older MARK AND ELAINE SEGAL years, their children encouraged them to Mark and Elaine Segal, now 69 and 73, move back home so they could be closer met as young adults after going through to one another. They relocated to West challenging times. When Elaine was Bloomfield in 2020, right at the beginintroduced to Mark through Jewish ning of COVID-19, and found a beautiFederation of Metropolitan Detroit, she ful home in the Hechtman Apartments was reluctant to go on a date with him.
