From Teen Sweethearts to 80 Years of Marriage: ‘God Was So Good to Give Him to Me’

From teen sweethearts to 80 years of marriage: ‘God was so good to give him to me.’ There’s something sacred about the way two lives thread together over time, like the weaving of a well-worn quilt. And every so often, God writes a love story that makes us sit back, exhale deeply, and say, "Yes, Lord. That kind of love."

Laura and Billie Mays recently celebrated a breathtaking milestone—80 years of marriage. Their story began in the small town of Greenville, Texas, where Billie, at just 13, looked across a youth gathering and decided, right then and there, that Laura was the one.

They Dated Through Their Teenage Years

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“She’s going to be it for the rest of my life,” Billie smiled. “I made sure nobody else stepped in.”

They dated through their teenage years, walking streets together and walking in faith. Then one day, Laura turned to Billie and said what only a heart so sure could say:

"Why don't we just go get married?"

And they did.

They Married On April 17th, 1945

On April 17, 1945, just before Billie shipped out in his Navy uniform, they wed in the Oak Cliff living room of a Methodist preacher. Laura wore a black dress with white trim, and fear mingled with hope in her young heart.

“Scared to death. This little girl had never been on a train or anywhere,” Laura recalled. “I was a little country girl.”

Their marriage bloomed in the soil of small-town roots and big-hearted love. They made Irving home in the 1950s and raised their three children there. The entire family—now numbering 36 or 37, depending on who’s counting—has worked in the family business.

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They Have Quite the Story On Their 80th Anniversary

“Everybody loves one another. You just don't see that,” Billie said.

I couldn’t help but tear up reading their story—because it reminded me so much of mine. My husband and I met when I was just 13 and starting high school. We didn’t know it then, but God had already started scripting our story. We’ve been married 26 years now, and when I read about Laura and Billie, something inside me whispered, "I want that too."

It’s the Gift of Love Lived Out

I want the years.

I want the laughter that fills a room with kids and grandkids.

I want the memory of walking hand in hand when our hair has turned silver and our steps slow down.

Because that’s the gift of love lived out—decades wrapped in the dailyness of marriage, showing up for one another, choosing to hold on.

Laura said it best: “You’re just blessed that you have a man or a woman to be by you the rest of your life.”

Billie added, “I never have left her out. I always include her in whatever we do, and she includes me.”

Their Love is Holy

It’s not flashy. It’s not loud. It’s not perfect. But it is holy.

And their shared Bible studies? They were part of their courtship from the start. Billie remembers it clearly and said, “She told me when we started dating... we’re going to study the Bible.”

Laura, now 98, and Billie, 99, are waiting joyfully for their first great-great-grandchild. “He’s just a good-hearted, loving guy, and God was so good to give him to me,” Laura said.

Love Doesn’t Fade it Deepens

And oh, isn’t that what we all long for?

So, to the woman reading this with a hand worn from decades of stirring pots, holding grandbabies, or clasped in prayer—may this remind you that love doesn’t fade, it deepens.

And to my own dear husband, thank you for walking with me all these years. I’m looking forward to every chapter still to come.

Just like Laura and Billie.

God was so good to give me you.

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WATCH: From Teen Sweethearts to 80 Years of Marriage: ‘God Was So Good to Give Him to Me’

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h/t: WFAA

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Heather Riggleman is a believer, wife, mom, author, social media consultant, and full-time writer. She lives in Minden, Nebraska with her kids, high school sweetheart, and three cats who are her entourage around the homestead. She is a former award-winning journalist with over 2,000 articles published. She is full of grace and grit, raw honesty, and truly believes tacos can solve just about any situation. You can find her on GodUpdates, iBelieve, Crosswalk, Hello Darling, Focus On The Family, and in Brio Magazine. Connect with her at www.HeatherRiggleman.com or on Facebook.