Houston couple celebrates 73 years of love, laughter, and dancing through life

HOUSTON - Bob Longmire will turn 96 later this month and his wife, Gayle, is 94. They don't look like it, and they don't act like it. FOX 26 caught up with them at The Buckingham Senior Living Community.

The pair has been married for 73 years.

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"To the same man," Gayle said.

"How do you do that, you got to get married when your 21-years-old, and you've got to live a long time," said Bob.

"We met on the dance floor," said Gayle.

"You could spot a girl who was a good dancer, and I spotted Gayle, and I cut in, and she was great," Bob said.

It wasn't a case of love at first sight.

"No," Gayle said.

"I loved the way she danced," Bob said. "I guess I better keep dancing," said Gayle. "She was just a fun person," said Bob. "She laughed at almost everything I did or said." 

"He made me laugh," said Gayle. "He really did, and he still does."

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In between dances, the couple had four daughters and three sons.

"We have 14 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren," Gayle said.

Bob's job took the family to Baton Rouge, New Jersey, and Tokyo.

"We won the swing contest in Tokyo in the American Club," said Bob. "That's our claim to fame," Gayle said.

So how do you stick with the same person for more than seven decades?

"The notion of separation wasn't there, it never happened," said Bob. "We somehow had to figure it out." "We arm wrestled a lot," Gayle said.

Because of Bob's health issues, the dancing has stopped, but the music plays on.

"We held each other up," said Gayle. "We did do a few steps on the dance floor," Bob said. "And neither one of us tripped, and we didn't fall down," Gayle said.

"God willing, we will invite you back for our 75th anniversary," said Bob.

"75th? We've got to get to 74th first," Gayle pointed out. "74 doesn't count," Bob said.