Baton Rouge – The Louisiana Family Forum has released the winner of its contest to name the state’s longest married couple.
For the third year in a row, Lawrence and Varrie Player have received the honor. Louisiana Family Forum honored the Players during a reception at their home in Benton.
The organization also honored Will Henry and Virginia Teasley of Bryceland as the runner-up.
“We pause for a moment today to honor the Top 10 Longest Married Couples in our state,” Gene Mills, President of LFF, said in a news release. “Each have blessed this state with the heritage of long life and good health and they have built a legacy of faith and family. Incredibly, they remind us that true love takes time to fully mature!
“Today we share their story of faithfulness to encourage a new generation that ‘happily married’ and ‘for a lifetime’ really do go together. LFF’s message is clear: Marriage can be a beautiful experience that endures for a lifetime!”
Louisiana Family Forum dedicated the poem ‘An Ode to Old Love’ in the Players’ honor:
Is there anything more beautiful in life than a young couple clasped hands, pure hearts on the path to marriage? Can there be anything more beautiful than young love? And the answer is given.
Yes, there is a more beautiful thing. It is the spectacle of an old gentleman and an old gracious woman finishing their journey together. Their hands are gnarled, but still clasped; their faces are seamed, but still radiant; their hearts are physically bowed and tired, but still strong with love and devotion for one another. Yes, there is a more beautiful thing than young love. Old love.
-Author Unknown
The top ten longest-married couples will receive an official statement of special recognition from Gov. John Bel Edwards and will be featured in the Louisiana Family Forum’s 2017 Marriage Hall of Fame.
Will Henry and Virginia Teasley of Bryceland were named the runner-up in Louisiana Family Forum’s Longest Married Couple contest. Louisiana Family Forum photo
Based on submissions to Louisiana Family Forum, the following couples are the top ten longest-married couples in the state:
- Lawrence and Varrie Player of Benton, 82 Years
- Will Henry and Virginia Teasley of Bryceland, 80 Years
- Douglas and Genevieve Acosta of Raceland, 78 Years
- Wallace and Gladys Menard of Judice, 78 Years
- George and Laura Harris of Baton Rouge, 76 Years
- Joseph and Felicie Rogillio of Rosedale, 75 Years
- Charles and Rita Serio of Morganza, 74 Years
- Arnold and Olga Jones of Junction City, 74 years
- Charles and Helen Simon of Mansura, 74 Years
- Grover and Dorothy Smith of DeQuincy, 73 Years
For additional information regarding the Longest Married couples, contact Louisiana Family Forum at 225-344-8533 or by e-mail at info@lafamilyforum.org.
