Jack and Betty Douglas

Tecumseh couple celebrates 72 years of marriage

Jack and Betty Douglas of Tecumseh will celebrate their 72nd wedding anniversary on Oct. 9, 2025. 

The couple first met while serving their country at Great Lakes Training Center with Jack in the U.S. Navy and Betty in the U.S. Marine Corps. After a brief six-week courtship, Betty asked Jack when they were going to be married. Soon after, they obtained a marriage license, invited two strangers from the street to serve as witnesses and were united in marriage by a justice of the peace.

They often say they’ve had only one disagreement in their entire marriage. To this day, Jack tells Betty daily how much he loves her and how happy she makes him. Their story has become a source of inspiration to their family, who say it’s clear that after more than seven decades together, Jack loves Betty as much today as he did when they first met.

Jack’s Navy career took them to many places, including Pensacola, Florida; Oceanside, California; Newport, North Carolina; and Washington state, where he retired after 22 years of service. While Jack served in Korea, Betty returned to her home state of Oklahoma for a time. After retirement, the couple moved to Jack’s hometown of Decatur, Illinois, in 1972. 

They purchased property on the river in Tecumseh in 1982, and moved to Ozark County permanently in 1984. They have made it their home ever since.