A 50-year wedding anniversary is considered a massive milestone. One local and beloved couple has surpassed that by decades. This month, Betty Williams Long, 97, and Jerry Long, 103, celebrated 80 years of marriage. ❤️

ANCASTER, Calif. (KABC) — A 50-year wedding anniversary is considered a massive milestone. One local and beloved couple has surpassed that by decades.

This month, Betty Williams Long, 97, and Jerry Long, 103, celebrated 80 years of marriage. The two have a lot in common: a good sense of humor, favorite hobbies like reading The Daily Chronicle, and a lifetime of memories.

They met in 1944 at the Five and Dime store where Betty worked.

“We got married in Salt Lake City,” recalled Betty.

They married in 1945. Jerry served in the military and World War II was nearing an end. They built a life and a family together. Today they’re proud parents, grandparents, and great grandparents.

Beyond their longevity, what many admire is their companionship and devotion to one another. “Anything I need, he’s always been there for me,” said Betty.

“I was watching the way they take care of each other and the way they talk to each other, and I think it’s beautiful. It’s something that we should all learn,” said Norma Louise Guevarra who lives in the same assisted living facility as the couple.

This month, their community at The Havens at Antelope Valley helped the couple celebrate their 80th anniversary.

“80 years is a huge, huge milestone. So, we don’t see that very often,” said Christine Ellis, community sales director at The Havens at Antelope Valley. “You will see him going through the community, pushing her in a wheelchair. He literally does everything for her, right down to coming down, getting her meals, takes her for bingo.”

Understandably, Betty and Jerry get asked how to keep a lasting marriage. They say for them, the key has been a shared faith.

We’re both Baptist and love the Lord,” said Betty.