Name: Harry and Sandie J.
Lived In: New York; Massachusetts; Florida; Connecticut
Birth Year: 1934
Great Grandparents. Six Decade Sweethearts. Birthday Buddies.
Most Likely to Stay the Course
Harry and Sandie were born four days apart and both recently celebrated their 90th birthdays. They rang in the start of a new decade of life alongside their three children, eight grandchildren, and 11 of 13 great grandchildren. Surrounded by loved ones, the event symbolized one of their most strongly held shared principles — don’t give up, and beautiful things are possible.
The couple first met during their senior year at the University of Connecticut on a blind date. When Harry showed up, he was dressed in a wild outfit, more for a costume contest than a romantic night out, but Sandie gave him a shot. A few weeks later, after calling her approximately 26 times a day, he wanted to get pinned.
“I wasn’t sure I was going to survive it,” Sandie joked. “But I thought, what the heck, I’ll try it and see what happens. Well, what happened was 67 years together!”
After graduating, they got married, moved into Harry's childhood home, and had their three kids within two and a half years. Life was busy, a constant exercise in give and take, but perfecting that balance is a core part of why they’ve been such a successful couple.
“You have to give as much as you take,” said Sandie as Harry nodded in agreement. “You have to keep it equal between the two of you if you want to be together for a long time.”
Equal not only in duty, but also in adoration. When asked what they loved most about each other, Sandie's answer came quickly —everything. Harry’s answer was exactly the same.