Tom and Peggy Bryant This picture is of my parents, Tom and Peggy Bryant, made on Valentines Day, the year my dad passed away following open heart surgery. They were married 39 years. My dad was a rancher/farmer and my mom was a homemaker. What stands out about their marriage was the way they worked together as a team. Even in her traditional roles of cooking meals and taking care of the house and the kids, my mom pitched in wherever necessary to help my dad fulfill his role as provider. I never heard them argue. He adored her, protected her while she knew that the choices they made together were in the best interest of her and the four of us children. They consistently lived their lives according the values they had internalized from their Christian faith.
Ned and Louise Kerr Ned and Louise Kerr were a couple who hosted me in their home near Temple, Texas almost every weekend for the year I was their tiny little church's pianist. They were in their 80's and had been married over 60 years. He was the cook in their home & loved to try new recipes. She had Parkinson's disease and though her hands were shaky, she had her specific tasks that she could do to help them maintain their home. They had a fondness for each other that radiated in the sweet way they spoke to one another. Louise had a flirty little giggle and seemed content to let his misconceptions remain unchallenged.
E.L. and Wilma Fowler My uncle and aunt, E.L. & Wilma Fowler, are now in their 90's. They married shortly before my uncle E.L. was drafted into the army in World War II in 1943. Wilma was a Rosie the Riveter in California when my uncle landed on Normandy Beach, later wounded and captured and held in a prisoner camp in Germany for almost 10 months. At the time of his capture, she did not know whether he was alive or dead. They have been a couple with tremendous resiliency , both with joyful spirits and concern and interest in others. As my aunt Wilma has deteriorated in her vision, hearing, mobility, and memory, my uncle has tenderly cared for her, until he could no longer physically do so. They are a living example of devotion.
The three couples in "My Marriage Hall of Fame" all had a strong Christian faith & never had marriage counseling. I believe there are some Biblical principles when followed are also helpful in creating strong marriages. I have included these principles on another page: Biblically Informed Counseling