For Valentine’s week, we were on a quest to find a couple that seemed to have found the secret formula for creating a happy life together. Long-time Little Compton residents Lea and Jack Angell fit the bill. In the 1960s, after a whirlwind courtship, they married, worked and played together, enjoyed families and mutual friends, raised four children, and, earlier this month, celebrated 57 years of marriage. During an interview last week, they shared a simple story of a happy life.

How did you two meet?

Lea: We met at a wedding in Brookline, I was 24, and a bridesmaid, and he was 26, and a guest.

Was it like Hollywood? Did you look into each other’s eyes from across the room?

Lea (laughing): No, it was just fun. And we found out we had some things in common, like Jack had a roommate from New Jersey – within walking distance to my parents’ house.

Did you start dating right after the wedding?

Lea: Yes! We were engaged by the end of July.

Jack: The wedding in Brookline was in June, and our wedding was eight months later — in February.

What appealed to you when you first met?

Lea: A lot of things. Our parents were very much alike. We were raised the same way. Everything seemed easy for us.

Jack: It was a fun wedding, and Lea had a great sense of humor. We chatted, and everything just clicked.

Do you agree with people who say marriage requires a lot of hard work?

Lea: I think it depends on who you are. We each lived on our own before we got married. We were practical and we were mature. Once we got married, I was still working, and we put every penny aside and lived on Jack’s salary.

Jack: That was the down payment for our house.

What did you share in common?

Jack: Both our families were oriented towards the water. We both sailed.

Lea: We still do, and our kids sail.

Any traditions? Anything you consider the glue that holds you together?

Lea: These days, in the summer, we like to get everybody together for family gatherings.

Jack: The most important thing we’ve done is raise our four kids together. More than anything, we focused on that over the years.

How do you celebrate Valentine’s Day?

Lea: We consider it a Hallmark holiday, so we don’t make a big deal of it. But usually, each of us might hide a Valentine’s Day card for the other. So I might be surprised and find one in the kitchen cupboard or somewhere else unexpected.

Jack: Our celebration is actually 10 days before, when we celebrate our anniversary.

Advice for newlyweds? What is the formula for a successful marriage?

Lea: Maturity is a key thing. And having similar backgrounds helps. If you find your friends get along with his friends, it’s all very comfortable.

Jack: Be considerate of your partner. Each of you should try to contribute 55 percent.