ROGERS, Ark. — Bill and Carolyn Lay are a nearly forever Valentine's couple after being married for over 76 years.
The two met just after World War II in Tulsa. Bill was a 24-year-old Army Air Corp vet who worked on B24 bombers in England, while Carolyn was a 21-year-old code breaker who wanted to help any way she could. Carolyn moved to Tulsa where her mother's family lived while Bill was a student at Tulsa University.
"I had a summer job at the Tulsa airport, working for the Beechcraft distributor in his shop, and she came to work in the office. And that's how we met in Hangar Five in Tulsa airport," Bill said.
Bill asked her out on a date and took her to car races in Tulsa. Carolyn said that it was a dinner at Bishop's where she learned of his respect for people, which she came to admire.
"I told Mother, I said, 'I'm going to marry him.' And she looked at me and she smiled. She said, 'Are you sure?'" Carolyn said.
Carolyn was not alone in her excitement for the blossoming relationship.
"When I took her home and on the front porch, I kissed her goodbye," Bill said. "I'd never been kissed like that before."
The Lays would set a wedding date seven months later. After the wedding, three sons followed and the Lays continued to create memories.
"I loved being outdoors," Carolyn said. "We camped and we raised our children camping."
With a 76-year marriage, the couple undoubtedly experienced hard times. Carolyn described these times as "when he wanted to chase me off, or I wanted to kill him." During those times, the couple explained the importance of having their individual interests as outlets.
"His interests were fishing and hunting. So that's what he did. And that gave him his life. And I enjoyed my sisters," Carolyn said.
Now at 101 and 98, the couple lives in retirement off Beaver Lake in their Lay's Landing. The two attend a First Presbyterian Church, a faith Carolyn explained Bill followed when they met. He said as he was studying, he was eager to learn and enjoyed the sermons he attended with Carolyn.
Not only do they continue to have one another, but they also have several visitors who frequent Lay's Landing.
"Our sons, although one lives in Arkansas, one lives in Oklahoma, and one lives in Texas, they're not so terribly far away, and they're very good about coming and visiting and bringing a meal," Carolyn said.
"We have a lot of friends now, because of our age, who are very good to us," she said. "They come to visit us because they know we can't visit them any longer."
The nearly forever Valentines hope others find their forever Valentine this Valentine's Day.
"If you can learn that you are not the center, if you can learn that what you can give is more than what you get, so much more comes back to you," Carolyn said.
Bill said the reverence they hold for one another is another reason why they have lasted so long.
"We both have had a deep respect for each other," Bill said. "Respect is important for everyone, particularly in couples."
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