Still Moving Forward: Dick and Mildred Davis' Lifelong Fitness Journey

Dick Davis' eyes light up when he talks about his wife Mildred. "She's my sidekick. She's a superwoman."

For decades, Mildred hasn't just been his companion—she's been his gym partner.

Their shared commitment to fitness has become a cornerstone of their marriage and the key to their well-being, even as they approach their ninth decade.

At 89 and 87 respectively, Dick and Mildred Davis haven't slowed down. Their conversations flow between cherished topics: family, faith, memories of Ireland (Mildred's homeland), and their unwavering love of physical activity.

Throughout moves across the Hudson Valley—Lake Katrine, Hyde Park, and later Wilmington, North Carolina—gyms and recreation centers have always been their anchor points.

Poll

What's your go-to workout time?

Morning

Afternoon

Evening

A Partnership Built on Movement

Since Mildred arrived from Ireland in 1960 and married Dick the following year, they've shared one philosophy: "We just keep moving all the time." This applies to both their nomadic lifestyle and their exercise routine.

Today, the couple hits Planet Fitness in Kingston three times a week—a ritual they've maintained for years.

"I mix it up," Dick explains, describing his hour-and-a-half sessions of weights, leg lifts, and cardio. With characteristic humor, he adds, "I'm the oldest guy in the gym."

Mildred, equally dedicated, focuses on exercise bikes and weights. "I've done the gym my whole life," she says with unmistakable pride. For both, these sessions aren't obligations—they're highlights.

"I like the whole thing," Dick says. "You could spend your day in the gym."

Athletic Roots Run Deep

Their passion stems from a lifetime of sports. During Dick's 36-year career at IBM in Poughkeepsie and Kingston, the company's country club became their playground.

Full gym, pools, bowling alleys, tennis courts—they used it all. Dick cycled regularly, played softball, bowled, and swam whenever possible.

Mildred was a force in racquet sports. "You name it, I have played it," she says, rattling off tennis, racquetball, table tennis, handball, and competitive indoor badminton from her Irish days. Trophies at home testify to her success.

She also logged 125 miles weekly on her bicycle, riding from Hyde Park to New Paltz, up the Shawangunk Ridge to Minnewaska State Park, and back to Poughkeepsie. Even now, she covers 12-14 miles during gym visits.

From Ireland to America

Their love story began when Dick met the recently immigrated Mildred in 1961. She'd left Kilkeel, a fishing village in Northern Ireland, as one of 10 children seeking a new life.

Dick, of Welsh background from Watertown, New York, was one of five.

"I came to this country, and I didn't know anything," Mildred recalls. Working as a waitress, she navigated a bewildering new culture.

When customers ordered shrimp cocktails, she headed to the bar thinking it was a drink.

A request for a screwdriver left her puzzled: "What on earth did he want with a screwdriver in a restaurant?" Pizza was equally mysterious.

They married in November 1961, aware of the sectarian tensions back in Northern Ireland. "If I had been a Catholic, she couldn't have dated me," Dick remembers, explaining how his Methodist background made their relationship possible during those troubled times.

Staying Active Everywhere

Whether home or abroad, fitness remained constant. During visits to Mildred's family in Kilkeel, they discovered the excellent Kilkeel Leisure Centre with its heated pool and adjustable-depth floor. Dick swam daily while there.

Now settled and surrounded by family—children, their spouses, and grandchildren—their routine remains beautifully simple.

After the gym, they head to Starbucks where Dick reads the New York Post while Mildred tackles sudoku puzzles.

The Philosophy of Forward Motion

Their commitment to physical and mental activity is both strong and intentional. "Some people figure that at a certain age, they're going to sit," Mildred observes. "Age is a state of mind. You can be old if you want to be."

Neither sees anything extraordinary in their dedication to active living, yet it defines who they are and what they share.

Their approach is beautifully straightforward, captured in Dick's simple wisdom: "You just keep moving forward."

At nearly 90, Dick and Mildred Davis prove that fitness isn't about age—it's about attitude, partnership, and the simple decision to keep showing up, day after day, decade after decade.

Source: hudsonvalleyone

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