BROWNWOOD, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – What does it take to have a successful marriage? Some experts on the subject in Brownwood have the answer.

Five couples at the Marketplace Apartments in Brownwood, have collectively been married for 306 years!

The senior community celebrated with cake and punch, Monday afternoon.

Jerry: “It’s easy. Just two words. ‘Yes dear.’
Wyvonne: “He’s not telling the truth.” 

Jerry and Wyvonne Piper will have been married for 54 years, on October 8.

It’s got to be an effort on both halves or you’re not going to work. She put up a lot for me because, like I said I was gone all the time. I tried to provide for them and take care of them. I felt like that was my job,” Jerry Piper said.

They explain marriage has its diamond days and gold days.

“It’s got to be an effort on both halves or you’re not going to work. She put up a lot for me because, like I said I was gone all the time. I tried to provide for them and take care of them. I felt like that was my job,” Jerry explained.

The Pipers met after Jerry’s job was down a few employees.    

“So, I hit the boss up, he hired her, we met and the rest is history,” he said.

Thus proving love at first sight is not just in fairytales.

“The funny thing about it is we knew each other two months from the day we met to we married. We did not know each other’s family or anything,” Wyvonne said.

Jeneice and Harold Reno, however, take the title for the longest marriage license among the five couples.

“We graduated from high school, from Post, Texas, then we married the next day,” Jeneice said, on behalf of Harold. Harold could not make it to the celebration because he had fallen sick last week and is in senior care.

The two will reach 70 years on May 21.

“I thought he was the cutest thing ever. He’s still good-looking. He’s still handsome,” Jeneice said blushing.

Russell and Judy also keeping up with 54 years of marriage, on August 24 of this year.

“In this day and age, it’s rare. Very rare,” Judy said. “It’s not easy but with a lot of love and respect and faith, you can make it.”

She hopes to set an example to their children, grand-children, and great-grand children too!

“I would like to think that they would look up to us and observe the tenacity of hanging in there,” Judy said.

Other couples at the celebration were J.B. and Laverne Taylor who have been married for 65 years on April 16. Robert and Janis Billard will have been married for 63 years on June 8.