Married couples who stay together for decades are increasingly rare. When you encounter couples married for over 50 or 60 years, you might wonder about their secret to enduring love, which varies from one couple to another.

A commonly remembered piece of advice is to ‘never go to bed mad at each other.’ This, coupled with trust and communication, forms a solid foundation for new marriages as well.

However, a North Carolina couple truly stands out by celebrating 82 years of marriage. Their milestones don’t stop there—they also celebrated their respective 103rd and 100th birthdays within a week of each other.

The secret to their long and happy marriage, you ask? It’s straightforward.

D.V. Williams, 103, and Willie Williams, 100, marked this exceptional anniversary and their significant birthdays with friends and family in Charlotte, filled with joy and celebration.

“Seeing them thriving at this age is truly a blessing,” shared their granddaughter BJ Williams-Green.

This admirable couple is close to setting a new record in the Guinness Book of World Records for being the oldest married couple by combined age, a title currently held by Miyako Matsumoto, 100, and her husband Masao Matsumoto, 108, from Japan. Their long-lasting marriage is attributed to patience.

Unlike the Matsumotos, D.V. and Willie Williams do not claim to have a grand secret. “Just be nice to each other,” says Willie, encapsulating their approach to a lifelong commitment.