JACKSON, Mich. — George and Norma Carpenter of Allen Township are 99 and 98, respectively. They just celebrated 80 years of marriage.
They met in high school after Norma put salt in George's brand new suit pockets.
"It really upset me," George said. "I don't know why, but I was so proud of that suit."
Norma said she didn't do it because she was mad at him, but because she was "ornery" and wanted to get his attention.
"And I did," Norma said.
They dated just eight months before they ran off to Indiana to get married without telling their parents. George was 18, Norma was 17. It was World War II, and George had been drafted.
"We didn't have time for a big wedding," George said. "Three weeks, and I had to go off to service."
Eighty years later, they're now part of less than 1% of married couples in the United States.
"That's just mind-boggling. Mind-boggling," co-director of the National Center for Family and Marriage Research Susan Brown said. "I think this is practically unheard of. I'm just, I'm truly stunned to hear that this couple has been married 80 years. It's incredibly unusual."
They had six children and now have a family of 105. Their daughter Beverly said she thinks their long lives can be attributed to, in part, their time spent in the greenhouse and on the farm.
George and Norma said what's kept them together all these years is their faith.
"God's been good to us all through our life, and that's what we depend upon," Norma said.
Even at almost 100 years old, George is still getting around. He still enjoys his time spent in the greenhouse, along with completing puzzles, selling his lifelong collection of antiques and, of course, taking care of Norma.
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