Matawan Restaurant Treats Couple Married 52 Years To Lunch

MATAWAN, NJ — Last month, when we shared this tale of a couple who lives in a Matawan senior home and renewed their wedding vows after 52 years of marriage, we were surprised by how popular the story was. On Facebook, hundreds of people commented on the story and shared it; the story was "liked" more than 5,000 times.

And after reading it, one local Matawan business owner wanted to personally treat Don and Audrey Ostler to lunch: Antonella Graziano, the owner of Flame 800 Coal-Fired Pizza on Rt. 34, gave the couple a free lunch this week to congratulate them on the longevity of their marriage.

"My mom and dad lived in Italy and they would have made it to their fiftieth wedding anniversary, but Dad died at the age of 77 from Crohn's disease," Graziano told Patch on Tuesday, as the couple sat down to lunch in her restaurant. "We were going to throw them a big party in Italy, because their first wedding was actually very simple; they did not have much money. Then my Dad passed away and we never got to. So when I saw this story on Facebook, I wanted to treat them to a nice lunch, because I couldn't do this for my parents."

Graziano emailed Patch asking if she could give them a gift card to her restaurant, and Patch contacted Atrium Senior Living of Matawan, where they live. The couple was married on August 27, 1967. Don is 81 and his wife is 78. On Valentine's Day this year, Don surprised his wife by asking if she would renew her vows with him; she wore white and a veil and he wore a suit and they reaffirmed their love for each other on Feb. 14 at the Freneau Avenue senior home. The photos were heartwarming.

"It's just rare to see people get to their fiftieth these days," marveled Graziano. "Usually people die or get divorced. My dad died one year before my parents' fiftieth anniversary."

On Tuesday, the Ostlers enjoyed a three-course lunch at Flame 800, starting with housemade lobster bisque, ravioli and pasta and ending with spumoni for dessert.

When asked, the couple was very eager to give some simple advice on how to have a marriage that lasts for a long time.

"It's a give and take," said Don. "It's not just one person being the boss. It's helping each other at different times."

The couple met when they were in their 20s in the mid 1960s at a Massachusetts pizza parlor. It was the cool local hang-out spot, his wife recalled.

"When we first met we couldn't stand each other," said Audrey. "I wanted him to go away. I just didn't like him."

"Now we still can't stand each other, but we're stuck with each other," Don joked. (He likes to crack jokes.)

The Ostlers have three children together, ages 60, 57 and 52, and five grandchildren. They first moved to Monmouth County more than 20 years ago, when their daughter was a single mom and needed help with her children. The Ostlers lived in Little Silver and then for years in Shadow Lake in Middletown, a 55+ community.

"The first seven years of our marriage were hard," said Audrey, looking at her husband. "There were times when I wanted him out. But he wouldn't leave. And then when you have children, you don't want to get divorced."

The couple holds no judgement on divorce.

"What happens, happens," said Don. "We're not judges."

While the couple said they enjoyed living in Shadow Lake, they knew it was time to move to a senior home about three years ago. "Audrey kept falling a lot and had a series of mini strokes," said Don. "Now we have around-the-clock, 24-hour care."

Flame 800 is locally known for its pizza, but the restaurant is trying to reshape its image as a sit-down bistro with Italian entrees, pasta and salads for lunch and dinner, said Graziano. They also started offering live music on Friday and Saturday nights.

Initial Patch report: Matawan Man, 81, Renews Vows With Wife Of 52 Years