- On December 2, 1950 – Lawrence and Carrie said their marriage vows and meant them because 70 years later they are still going strong. Though they are not my real “parents,” (they are Marc’s parents) – I call them Mom and Dad. They always welcomed me with open arms and open heart to the Perry family. They are role models on what a loving, happy marriage should look like. My little cousin, Maxine Moore, wrote an article in tribute to them. Read it and you’ll see why they get “Couple of the Year” award! Shoot, couple of the century! 👩❤️👨
The real secret to a long and happy marriage
By: Maxine Moore
Lawrence and Carrie Perry first met in elementary school in Ypsilanti, Michigan.
The elementary school, formally known as Harriet Elementary, was renamed the Perry Early Learning Center after Lawrence’s father Dr. Lawrence C. Perry. One of the first Black dentists in the Ypsilanti.
It wasn’t until high school that the two began to take a real interest in each other.
Lawrence, a year older than Carrie, headed to Michigan State University to pursue his degree and after graduation went into active duty in the U.S. Army and served in the Korean War. Despite the time away from each other, that didn’t keep the two from falling deeply in love.
On December 2, 1950, the young couple married and their commitment to each other has been strong ever since – with a family clan of three children, five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
“I was just so drawn to her,” Lawrence said when asked about how he knew his wife was the one.
For Carrie, she was enamored by the fact that Lawrence was a “star” in Ypsilanti high school. [He is in the school’s Hall of Fame].
“He was athletic, good looking, and really smart… he was my knight in shining armor,” said Carrie.
She added that he really made her say “wow,” in whatever it was that he was doing.
She didn’t forget to mention that all the other girls in school wanted him too.
After 70 years, it is safe to say that the Perry’s have the secret to a long, happy, and successful marriage.
Lawrence said he attributes “listening” for the longevity of his marriage to his first and only love.
Carrie said truth and honesty is another essential that has contributed to the success of their marriage.
They both agreed that loving the other is most important.
“I love him more than me… I loved him then and my love for him continues to grow each day,” said Carrie.
Lawrence’s favorite quality of his wife is the fact that she is “beautiful inside and out.”
Carrie said her husband’s wisdom is her favorite thing about him.
The Perry’s give God all the praise and glory for all the blessings in their lives, including their relationship.
“As I learned the word, and as I learned to love the Lord, that made me love him more,” said Carrie.
Now, the Perry’s say they are feeling beyond blessed to have been able to stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
They still enjoy sitting on the couch, holding hands and watching their favorite shows.
Carrie says she enjoys making meals for the two of them and setting the table in a special way. for her beloved husband.
She noted that she loves and appreciates how he cleans up and does the dishes afterwards.
Lawrence said there isn’t a meal that his wife has prepared for him that he hasn’t liked.
“She’s such a beautiful cook, I can’t choose a favorite meal, everything she cooks she makes it with so much love and care,” he said.
Carrie noted that her husband isn’t picky, but the one thing he will never refuse… pickled ring bologna.
“He’s 90 years old and he goes back to his childhood with that bologna,” said Carrie as she laughed.
The Perry’s hold many memories dear to them, but their international travels are at the top of the list.
The two have traveled all over the world. Lawrence’s favorite places include Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico.
Carrie cherishes all the time she and her husband study the Bible and pray together.
The two have been devoted to strengthening their relationships with God and have passed on their devout faith to their three children and their families. In fact, they are known as the prayer warriors for the entire Perry family and their many friends.
The Perry’s mentioned that they look back and think about how grateful they are to have spent time with so many dear friends who are no longer with them, but times with those friends remain precious memories.
They would go out on town for date nights with other couples and hosted dinners large and small to celebrate life’s events.
They had a blast.
Now Lawrence and Carrie are still standing to serve as beacons of light and hope and love.
Every couple has a song that they deem “their song”.
The Perry’s song is “The Girl from Ipanema” by Antônio Carlos Jobim. The two fell in love with the song when they visited Brazil in the 60’s.
Lawrence can still perfectly recite the Portuguese lyrics today.
Back in his prime, Lawrence was fluent in almost a dozen languages including Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, Japanese, and even Latin.
Carrie said that French is her favorite language to hear her husband speak.
“He tried to teach it to me, but I could never learn; perhaps because his pronunciation was so perfect,” she joked.
Now, the Perry’s look forward to celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary.
To celebrate they plan on making a nice homemade dinner, and to toast a glass of champagne and share a few dances in the living room.
They remain thankful for family and the tremendous amount of love they share.
Here’s to Lawrence and Carrie Perry, the epitome of true love.
Note: We surprised them with a four-course dinner and champagne – and this mock magazine cover. Which they loved!!!! Mom cried.
We also masked up and took pictures of them. They also got a battery of calls after we did a FB live of them as we read Maxine’s story and her Mom’s (Mimi) singing tribute to them via phone, singing Inseparable by Natalie Cole.
Go to Marc’s Facebook page and wish them a Happy Anniversary. They’re reading all the comments.
Mom is waiting on Barack Obama to reach out and wish them one too. So if you know him, tell him to hit the page. 🙂