wife of 77 years

こんなこともあるのですね。イタリアでの出来事です。ここのwife of 77 yearsはどのような意味でしょうか？Pearさん、お願いします。（ゼミ生 カメ女）
Dec 29, 2011
Man divorcing wife of 77 years over her affair in 1940s
By Douglas Stanglin, USA TODAY

A 99-year-old Italian man is divorcing his wife of 77 years after finding a packet of old love letters that revealed an affair she had in the 1940s, the Daily Telegraph reports. The British newspaper's Rome correspondent says newly released court documents show that the man, identified only as Antonio C., found the musty letters while clearing out an old chest of drawers a few days before Christmas. His wife, Rosa C., reportedly confessed to the affair when confronted, but couldn't talk her husband out of filing for divorce. The couple met during the 1930s when Antonio was posted as a young Carabinieri officer to Naples. The newspaper says the couple have five children, a dozen grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2011/12/man-99-divorcing-wife-of-77-years-over-her-1940s-affair/1