Couple married 60 years celebrate true love with vow renewal

TIMBERVILLE, Va. (WHSV/Gray News) - A Virginia couple celebrated their 60 years of marriage by renewing their wedding vows at the assisted living facility they call home.

Jerry and Betty Huffman are keeping love alive decades after they first met at work. From the first moment, the chemistry was there, and they knew theirs would be an everlasting love, WHSV reports.

“I think we were drawn toward each other. First I saw, I looked at her and saw her eyes. They were pretty eyes,” Jerry Huffman said.

With 60 years of marriage, the Huffmans have spent the majority of their lives together. It is their “diamond” anniversary — representing eternal love. They say renewing their vows brought back memories of their commitment made many years ago, and the experience was a symbol of them falling in love all over again.

The couple say a love like theirs happens when people make an effort to be together.

“You don’t have to have the same interests, but you can give to each other what you have. We’ve taken trips together. We’ve been places together. We went camping together. Everything we did was both of us together,” Jerry Huffman said.

Recently, Jerry Huffman refused to move to a different facility to take care of his nose cancer if his wife could not go with him. He ended up getting treatment at the University of Virginia Hospital – with Betty Huffman supporting him.

The Huffmans say achieving everlasting love means making it through those tough times and to not let small stuff break the bond.

“We lost a daughter, and that drew us even closer to each other because that was an awful thing to go through,” Jerry Huffman said. “Everything’s not going to be smooth as silk. You’re going to go through troubles, and when you have disagreements, the one thing you have to do is forgive and forget.”

The couple plan to keep the ride going by remaining devoted to one another.

“He’s in the 80s, so we’re going to go from here. We know we don’t have much time left, but we’re going to enjoy the rest of it,” Betty Huffman said.

Jerry Huffman added that love comes with different stages that can impact a marriage for the better.

“Most couples will find the longer you’re together, the love gets to be a different love. It’s not the same as when you first met and went through the marriage part, but as time goes along, you’re going to find that commitment even stronger,” he said.

The Huffmans said they hope their story serves as a reminder that true love is still out there.