Married 77 years

ITPjohn

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I know it's a little late, but I saw this on Yahoo and thought I'd share.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060215/ap_on_fe_st/valentine_s_day_couple_3

Still in Love After 77 Valentine's Days
Tue Feb 14, 10:13 PM ET

Fred Landis has a Valentine's Day ritual. Sometime, somewhere, he'll lean over to his wife, Gwen, and say, "I love you." They say he's been doing that on Valentine's Days since 1928, when they were married.

In October, Fred, 102, and Gwen, 101, celebrated their 77th wedding anniversary, and they are not far shy of a record. The longest current marriage, according to the 2006 edition of Guinness World Records, is 78 years, 296 days.

On Valentine's Day 2006, Fred will say "I love you" a bit louder than he used to because Gwen is hard of hearing. Fred has macular degeneration, which has kept him from writing poetry for her.

Gwen says Fred wrote poems to her during their courtship, a gesture that may have won her heart.

"I think that had something to do with it," she said with a shy smile.

They met in 1924 as college students, he at Albany College and she at Simpson Bible College in Seattle. Fred attended a church where Gwen's father was the pastor. When they were married, Gwen's father performed the ceremony.

Gwen remembers receiving $800 for a wedding gift, then losing it all in the stock-market crash the following year.

The Landises spent the next four decades working in ministry and raising four children. Fred was the pastor at several small churches in the Northwest. Gwen played the piano and organ and taught Sunday school.

He retired in 1970, and they have lived in Salem since then. They moved to a retirement center in 1994.

"They're just wonderful people. You couldn't find any better," says a friend, Dorothea McAuley. "They're setting an example for everybody. They're always happy. I've never seen one of them angry. They're God's example."

Commitment is the word Gwen uses to describe their marriage success. Fred agrees.

"Sure, we've had squabbles and disagreements galore," he said. "But there's a commitment to marriage because we have a reverence to it."

They have eight grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.

Son John, 67, says he continues to be amazed by his parents, their relationship and their lives.

"I think — I know — they would not have lived this long singly," John says. "They keep each other going."

Copyright © 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.
 
This is really truly inspirational and most definitely a model or an example of what a long, lasting marriage ought to be, based on committment and reverence which holds together the binds of 'love' within two people strongly. It sure was a great 'read' and thanks for sharing this story. Also, I sure hope and wish that this couple will pass what the record is for the longest marriage, not only would they be so deserving, but a great example for all to admire and follow....Awesome!! :thumb:
 
That is really a sweet story to read. I applaud these two people for making their marriage to last for 77 years :applause:
 
God Bless those couples :angel: Good story !!!!

It does say alots about those times and these times we are living in today. I pray we return to those times where public and private high moral values were commonplace in American Life. :) :thumb:
 
Wow 77 years is really a long time, very lovely story too....Thanks for sharing it with us....
 
awesome story to read about. Love can last for a real long time. :)
 
what amazing story for couple of 77 years!

when i was 1 years old im attend my great-grandparent's 50th anniversary for first time and my great-grandparents still good marriages for over 60 years but both dead but im glad both still marriages for long time but never let them go! but still good marriages and have children,grandchildren,great-grandchildren
 
WHOA! That's LONG time for them to be married!! What a sweet story!! Thanks for sharing!! :thumb: (I got goosebumps when I read this!)
 
77th wedding anniversary? :jaw: It's rare for the couple through 77th... but 50th to 60th wedding anniversary... wow... Their story amazing me...

Thank you for share your post here with us.
 
Indeed, It's amazing that their marriage lasted 77 years and is still going! Kudos to them! ;)
 
Miss*Pinocchio said:

Pardon?

Is it wonderful to see the couple stay together for many years which is great to know they are happy couple today.

It is getting rarer nowadays.
 
Tamara said:
Pardon?

Is it wonderful to see the couple stay together for many years which is great to know they are happy couple today.

It is getting rarer nowadays.

Which is normal for us that there are many unhappy couples, gay couples, divorced, spousal abuse, and corrupt marriages...
Why should I bother getting marry, ack?
 
Tamara said:
Pardon?

Is it wonderful to see the couple stay together for many years which is great to know they are happy couple today.

It is getting rarer nowadays.

It is nice, and you're right, it's also a rarity. Longetivity doesn't always equate to being happy, so it's really nice to see a couple who are happy together stay together for so long!
 
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