Don and Marilyn Barnett have spent most of their lives loving each other — and each night they have a special ritual to fortify their decades-long romance.
The couple from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, have been married for 68 years. Don, 94, and Marilyn, 93, shared with CBS’s Steve Hartman the key to their harmonious partnership — every night before bed, Don serenades his wife.
As they prepare to go to sleep, Don always asks, “want a song?” And Marilyn always answers, “sure!”
“And I discovered a couple of things. First of all, it pleased her. And secondly, it calmed us,” Don shared. “And if we had a disagreement or something before, it was gone by the time we went to sleep.”
“I just look forward to it,” Marilyn said. “And he has a beautiful voice.”
The ritual began roughly half a century ago, and according to their son Doug, the sweet tradition occurs every single night — whether they’re at a hotel or at home in their own bed.
Marilyn fell and broke her hip in January, but Don still sang to her in her hospital bed as she recovered.
“It’s very simple. It’s very easy to do,” Don said, and Marilyn added, “We wouldn’t go to sleep without that.”
Marilyn and Don Barnett.
CBS News
Don added, “You see, when you sing to your spouse, she realizes that you really care enough to go out of your way — rather than just say, ‘Goodnight, honey,'”
