Two Texas centenarians recently celebrated their 80th wedding anniversary, shattering world records.
John and Charlotte Henderson, aged 106 and 105, respectively, celebrated eight decades of marriage on Sunday. The two met as students at the University of Texas in 1934 and married near the end of the Great Depression in 1939.
“Charlotte looked over her shoulder and smiled, and I knew I wanted to take her on a date,” John Henderson told TODAY.
The couple, who never had children, has lived in an Austin, Texas, retirement home for the past decade.
“In our ages, we’ve slowed down somewhat,” John Henderson said. “We used to go on cruises, but now we have to take it easy. We like watching sports and talking about what we’re going to do tomorrow.”
Charlotte Henderson told Fox 61 last month that she doesn’t dwell much on the record-breaking length of their marriage.
“I have to ask him how long we’ve been married because, from year to year, I just forget,” she said. “Well, I think it’s pretty long, but we take it as it comes.”
The two have been entered into the Guinness World Records for their enduring relationship.
“They don’t dwell on the past,” said their nephew Jason Free. “You won’t hear them say, ‘Oh, if only it were 1952 again, everything would be great.’ They are still making plans for their future together.”
Charlotte Henderson said she likes “everything about” John, who explained that a key aspect of what made their relationship so long-lasting was mutual respect.
“Don’t indicate to your partner that you’re going to be the leader or you’re going to have it your way,” John Henderson advised. “You have to give and take as life goes by and be grateful for what you have and try to make tomorrow a better day than today, and be sure you don’t go to bed at night with a chip on your shoulder.”
He added, “Be aware of the other person’s feelings.”
