After 51 years of wedded bliss, a Delaware Township man seems to have the secret of a successful marriage.

He decided that he and his wife would split things 50-50, with him taking on the more serious issues.

Wedded wisdom in the words of Ernest Schmidt, 78, of 601 Fredonia Road:

"My advice on what it takes to make a marriage work is: Before we were married, I made an agreement with my wife that when we got married, she would make all the minor decisions and I would make all the major decisions and after 51 years of marriage, a major decision has never come up yet."

When his wife, the former Virginia Osinsky, 75, was asked whether this was true, she replied, "That is true. A lot of times if you have a good sense of humor it helps. If you don't, sometimes you're in trouble."

She was also surprised that he won first place in The Herald's Valentine's Day contest for his marital advice.

"I thought there was something up. I've been eavesdropping. I can't believe it," Mrs. Schmidt said. "We sign up for a lot of things and we never win very much."

He described one of the reasons the pair has been married for more than 51 years.

"We get along pretty good. We don't argue much. I haven't had any black eyes so far," said Schmidt, a World War II Army veteran. "I give and take and all. It's a 50/50 proposition. Some are 80/20, but we're 50/50."

The couple met in Cleveland, where she worked at a finance company, and he came in and applied for a loan. They were married a year later and moved into this area about 47 years ago.

They credit laughter, forgiveness and serving the Lord as reasons their marriage has lasted so long.

The couple has three children and two grandchildren.

The second-place winners were even more surprised than the Schmidts, because their daughter entered them.

Ed and Anne Doblanski, of Frederick Drive in Farrell, will be celebrating 50 years in September and according to a letter written by their daughter, Laurie Prosenjak of Hermitage, they have been great marriage and parental role-models.

"What is their secret?," she wrote. "Togetherness! They met at a polka dance over 50 years ago and continue to dance together every Sunday with their 'polka buddies.' When you see one of my parents, the other is not far away, except when my dad goes swimming twice a week at the Buhl Club.

"My parents also play on two local bocce teams and organize bus trips for a busload of their friends and acquaintances. To say mom and dad are my right arm is putting it mildly; no matter what the situation, they will do whatever needs done to help me out."

Laurie's father Ed is 80 and her mother Anne is 76. She uses them as an example for her own marriage and in raising her children.

"Everyone tells me how I'm raising my kids so well. Well it's because I have such good role models," Laurie Prosenjak said. "They are very Christian, loved by a lot of friends and like the friendship of their friends."

She described them as very active in St. Anthony's Church in Sharon, and still travel to tourist spots together by bus after all these years.

"They are always together," Mrs. Prosenjak said.