The newlyweds
Sandra Berman was only looking for a dance partner when she invited Jack Phillips to a New Year's Eve Party. But Jack had other ideas.
After the party, Jack invited her to dinner, and the romance was on the way. By February, they got engaged, and in August, Sandra, who is 90, and Jack, who is 86, tied the knot.
"My son said, 'mom, what's the rush' when I told him I'm getting married," Sandra says. "What's the rush? I said, 'we don't have that much time, honey.'"
Jack had other ideas about that as well. "When I asked her to marry me, I said, I want a ten year contract," he laughs.
Better the second time around
This was a new love for both but a second time around at marriage. Jack was married for 58 years and was a widower, and Sandra was married for 51 years and was a widow.
In fact, Sandra was sure she would never marry again. "I didn't want to get married. That was out of the question. I never thought I'd marry again," says Sandra. "Jack wanted to get married, and I said, 'what difference does it make?'"
"He said, 'I want everyone to know you're mine.' Well, that clenched it for me," she giggles.
"I'm an old fashioned type of guy," says Jack.
He gushes and she blushes
"She's everything you can think of," Jack gushes. "If you ask me to give you one thing bad about her, there's none. I'm just so happy. It's so comfortable. I feel like I've been married forever."
Sandra giggles and blushes when she hears this. "It's like we are in our own little world. He doesn't even see my wrinkles!" she says.
"What wrinkles," Jack laughs.
What's their secret? "We were made for each other" says Sandra. "We're just perfect for each other."
Note: I met Jack and Sandra while covering a Glen Rocking Seniors Halloween Party. They were dressed as ref and cheerleader, so I composited them into a stadium background.
