A WWII veteran’s secret to 80 years of marriage: ‘Treat your wife nice’

‘Treat your wife nice and try to help her all you can and work hard. That’s all we’ve had our ups and downs over the years, but we still made it.’ That is the advice John Carroll, a 101-year-old World War II veteran, offered after 80 years of marriage to his wife, Jerry.

The Tennessee couple, who celebrated their wedding anniversary in April and Jerry’s 100th birthday in June, have a long-running Friday tradition: visiting their local McDonald’s in Murfreesboro and ordering the same dishes for decades. ‘For breakfast, we usually eat the Egg McMuffin with sausage,’ John told local news outlet NewsChannel5, adding tomato slices to make it ‘his special order.’

During their anniversary celebration, employees at the outlet customised the restaurant’s golden arches signage to read ‘Congratulations to the Carrolls 80 years and counting.’ Christina Crisp, the general manager, said: ‘We just love them. They’ve been here for a long time.’

The Carrolls’ grandson, also named John Carroll, posted a tribute on Facebook, noting the family they built together: ‘Three children. Seven grandchildren. Twenty-one great-grandchildren. One great-great-grandchild. A living legacy stretching across generations.’

Image: Wikimedia Commons/by Famartin