Advice on decorating a house comes from designers. Ask a plumber about bathroom remodeling. But whom do you call for guidance on lasting relationships? The experts, of course: Those who have banked years of success.

The pairs of Fran and Ed Walsh of Slippery Rock, and Grace and Clifford Younkins of Butler have been married just over 50 years each. Although times have changed, the basics for loving have not. These two couples offer some tips on how to love your mate for a lifetime.

1. Share a common interest - Both couples said sharing a common interest is important to keeping the relationship alive. "When we started out, we went to church and Sunday school," Grace Younkins said. And they still do.

Ed and Fran Walsh shared a passion for learning, then and now.

2. Share similar values - Because they lived a military lifestyle, family was important to the Younkins. It was the primary constant they had no matter where they lived. "We always had a family dinner," Grace Younkins said.

The Walshes spent much of their time supporting each other as they pursued their educations. When Ed Walsh was working toward his master's degree, Fran would often go to the library and find books for his research.

"Without her, I'd have never made it," Ed said. "She (even) read what I was reading and we'd talk it over. Then I helped her when she started teaching."

3. Put the other person first - Fifty years ago, not many women were getting postgraduate degrees, and men weren't as involved in the lives of their children as many are now.

Fran Walsh boasts how Ed encouraged her and took on many duties that normally would have been hers. He watched their two children and even prepared supper when she was studying for her doctoral degree.

"He would cook dinner, and there's nothing nicer than coming home to those wonderful smells," she said.

4. Spend time together - The Younkins go dancing weekly. They also travel a lot.

The Walshes take dancing classes together. As a matter of fact, they do almost everything together.

"We eat out," Fran Walsh said. "We go to plays. We love the theater."

5. Treat each other with love - "Look for how arguments are handled," Fran Walsh said.

Because she had a quick temper, Fran and Ed made a promise to each other early in their marriage. "We made a pledge never ever to touch each other in anger," Fran said. Both of them took the pledge.

"I could never hit, kick, scratch," she explained. That way he wouldn't have to worry about hurting her while defending himself.

The Younkins believe that giving each other space to pursue a personal interest is one way to love each other. Cliff is a member of a remote control airplane flying club. Grace is a faithful attendant of her quilting group.

6.Treat others lovingly - "Don't put down everybody," said Ed Walsh. His wife, Fran, smiled when he said that.

"That's what attracted me (to him)," she said. "He was a person who was nice to everybody. He was as nice to the nerdy guys. Everybody liked him."

7. Live within your means - "We would have liked to have more money," Grace Younkins said.

It didn't matter, though. She and Clifford made due with what they had. "A lot of people today use their credit card, and we don't do that," she added.

Living within their means kept a lot of undue stress out of their marriage.

8. Be a good sport - "Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose," said Ed Walsh. "There's nothing wrong with losing. Tomorrow's another day."

Cliff Younkins remembered trying to teach his kids to have that good sport mentality, too. When they would get angry and pout, he would tell them, "Now, you don't want to get mad. When you get mad, you gotta get glad again!"

9. Have a sense of humor - "I do think you can be really happily married and have big arguments," Fran Walsh said.

She remembered one time she and Ed had a huge blow out. "(Ed said) 'I'm out of here.' "

She said, "Well, are you going to leave me a car?" Instead of having to win a point in the argument, he responded with, "No, I'm going to drive them both!"

"We started laughing and it was over," Fran said.

10. Be committed - "(You have to) want marriage for life," Fran Walsh said. "(Go in) with the thought that (you're) not going to split up, (that you're) going to stay married."