Here is some great news. A couple celebrated their 80th Wedding Anniversary. HERE.
On Nov. 25, 1932, FDR had just defeated Herbert Hoover, the daily newspaper cost two cents, and Ann Shawah said “I do” to John Betar in Harrison, N.Y.
Fast forward through 13 presidents and 80 years to 2012: the Betars are still happily married. After five children, 14 grandchildren and 16 great children, the couple from Fairfield, Conn., will celebrate their 80th wedding anniversary Sunday.
“We are so blessed. We are fortunate,” John Betar, 101, said.
“We are very fortunate. It can be repeated and repeated,” Ann, 97, echoed. “It is unconditional love and understanding. We have had that. We consider it a blessing.”
Humble Beginnings
John Betar met Ann Shawah growing up in the same Syrian community in Bridgeport, Conn. Betar immigrated to America as a young child in 1921 with his brother, he explained, joining his father who put down roots for them in Bridgeport. After attending grammar school, Betar began working as a fruit peddler and met Ann Shawah, the daughter of Syrian immigrants, in the neighborhood.
“I fell for her right away,” he said. “I used to have a Ford Roaster and I used to pick her and her friends and drive them to high school. Gradually she liked me and we got together.”
It was slightly more complicated than that. Ann was arranged to be married to another man, 20 years her senior, whom her parents thought would be the best provider for their daughter. The 17-year-old was less than pleased with the arrangement and taken with Betar, then 21. Breaking with tradition and going against her family’s wishes, the two eloped.
“At 17, you wonder if you’re making the right choice,” she said. “I had grown up with him and we had good times together and we knew each other very well. And it’s turned out to be 80 years. ….God seems to have been with us. And we’ve been very fortunate and wonderful.”[…]
On Nov. 25, 1932, FDR had just defeated Herbert Hoover, the daily newspaper cost two cents, and Ann Shawah said “I do” to John Betar in Harrison, N.Y.Read the rest there.
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Ah, love!
How wonderful. I wonder what it is like to be loved like that or to love like that? My parents will celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary in January. My generation can hardly imagine such commitment and love. A sign that marriage is for life and is a sacrament…thanks for sharing this, Father Z.
I dunno. They look kind of old to me.
How lovely. I pray that our children’s generation will also be able to meet faithful spouses who share their values and reflect the grace and beauty of God’s sacrament of marriage.
These are people I wish I knew. There still are good reasonable people in this country. They’re just kind of hard to find sometimes.
My wife and I are only 60 years behind them. But we’ll get there. :)
These people managed to stay married longer than most people live ! In the words of our Imperial Leader Obama , ” You didn’t build that ” and Mrs. Betar humbly admitted to that in the last paragraph of the article where she said “God seems to have been with us.”
It seems even a blind squirrel stumbles onto acorn every now and then….
ed
I dunno. They look kind of old to me.
I don’t think so… They look as if they’re just into their early eighties. In fact that’s already taking into account that people look younger today; in terms of “what age would you associate with how they look”, I’d have said seventy.
And that’s looking young if one’s 100 years old.
Very nice story. My grandparents reached their 75th anniversary, but their courtship had started five years earlier. :)
A couple in my parish celebrated their 60th anniversary about five years ago. When I (then 40 y/o) congratulated them, the old husband asked me if I was married. I said yes. Then he asked for how many years. “Oh, just 15”, I answered. “Hmm, that’s not much, but it’s not bad for a marriage today!”
They are still alive and married.
And so are we… :-)
Heartwarming.
What a beautiful wedding gown Ann was wearing! The lovely train draped all around as if to draw our Lord into their wedding day and all the blessings He would grace them with.
Not like those awful off-the -shoulder, how low-can-I-go gowns of today?
WOW. And I was so excited this fall when my wife and I made it to twenty!
Hope to make eighty – though I’ll be 112 if we do!
How wonderful! May God continue to bless them and their family!
My parents made it to 40 years, before they both passed away. My in-laws will be celebrating 50 years this coming January. We honestly didn’t think my father-in-law would make it this past year.