Why would a 70-year-old man leave his wife of 45-plus years?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For my uncle: a brain tumor. Honestly.

For my husband’s family, it was a minor stroke. His personality basically changed overnight. The stroke wasn’t realized until years later.

[Anonymous]

My uncle did this after he found out he had cancer and was given less than five years to live. He decided he didn't want to spend the last years of his life with his wife. He got a divorce, bought a convertible, got a girlfriend and traveled the world while he could. He also alienated his kids who wanted nothing to do with him after he made that decision. He did develop a close relationship with the rest of us though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Affair.

It was this for my grandfather also.

Since men die earlier a healthy 70 year old man actually has good odds and options if he’s active in senior circles…

That's what I'm counting on. Action in the nursing home. But most of my prospects will be 75+.

[Anonymous]

He started affair with co worker prior to Covid in state where out of town office was located. Apparently absence made the heart grow stronger because once lock downs were over he took his chance and left for AP. I was shocked but then again, I know so MANY people in the midst of a COVID divorce. Bottom line, you better like being with your significant other 24/7 (think COVID lockdowns) and if one of you could not handle that, well, you're in trouble.

[Anonymous]

Didn't the Gores divorce after 40-something years?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He started affair with co worker prior to Covid in state where out of town office was located. Apparently absence made the heart grow stronger because once lock downs were over he took his chance and left for AP. I was shocked but then again, I know so MANY people in the midst of a COVID divorce. Bottom line, you better like being with your significant other 24/7 (think COVID lockdowns) and if one of you could not handle that, well, you're in trouble.

He was still working at 70 ? No thanks.

[Anonymous]

Mental health issues.

[Anonymous]

Mental health issues.

of which his wife was the cause. Enjoy the time you have left.

[Anonymous]

'Cause he's sick and tired of mess and doesn't want to spend his twilight years in drama.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why did 65 year old Bill Gates leave his wife of 30 years?

She so clearly left him!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Didn't the Gores divorce after 40-something years?

It’s pretty well known why that happened.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My uncle did this after he found out he had cancer and was given less than five years to live. He decided he didn't want to spend the last years of his life with his wife. He got a divorce, bought a convertible, got a girlfriend and traveled the world while he could. He also alienated his kids who wanted nothing to do with him after he made that decision. He did develop a close relationship with the rest of us though.

Smart to step in where there was an opportunity to extract some inheritance out of the estrangement with his kids. Nice 👍 .

[Anonymous]

Aunt-in-law spent whole marriage with sex addict. She thought he had reformed after therapy in his younger years. At 75, she left him when she discovered that he simply continued that same behavior in the ensuing decades. They didn’t divorce. He became sort of a recluse in his eighties. She got a boyfriend and is living her best octogenarian life. She wishes she had left him decades ago.

[Anonymous]

My Dad did... multiple affairs but Mom was the one who had enough. She filed and kicked him out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He started affair with co worker prior to Covid in state where out of town office was located. Apparently absence made the heart grow stronger because once lock downs were over he took his chance and left for AP. I was shocked but then again, I know so MANY people in the midst of a COVID divorce. Bottom line, you better like being with your significant other 24/7 (think COVID lockdowns) and if one of you could not handle that, well, you're in trouble.

He was still working at 70 ? No thanks.

I know plenty of people who are still working into their 70s, by choice not financial necessity. The stats are clear that retired people die at high numbers and often not long into retirement. People who stay very active and vital are more likely to enjoy longevity, and for many people work is what they are happiest being active doing - especially professionals like lawyers, doctors, accountants, writers, artists, musicians and actors, engineers, architects. There isn’t any compelling reason to just quit work entirely unless you have very big plans to stay really busy in other ways. In fact many marriages between people who retire begin to falter then, because they are stuck together 24/7 and find out they’ve been tolerating each other for decades because they had a lot of time apart to get space and pursue interests.