Juan D. and Jerry Nichols will celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary on May 18, 2021.

Their four children, eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren will be honoring them with a come-and-go celebration at the Celebration Room at First Methodist Church Quitman on Saturday, May 22 from 2-4 p.m.

Juan D. and Jerry are fully COVID vaccinated.

Juan and Jerry met at Winnsboro High School and began dating their senior year in 1949. They attended East Texas State Teachers College and were planning to marry in February 1951, but in January, Juan joined the U.S. Navy during the Korean conflict, promising to marry Jerry when he completed bootcamp.

Thinking he’d be sent to Alaska for 18 months after bootcamp, they decided to wait until they could be together. Instead, Juan was sent to California. Jerry traveled alone to meet him in May 1951, marrying at the First United Methodist Church in Vallejo, Calif.

Every time the ship went overseas, Jerry returned home to finish college, from which she graduated in 1956. She rejoined Juan every chance she could, living in Vallejo, Long Beach, San Diego, Charleston, Newport and Brooklyn.

They gave birth to their first child, Marian, in Charleston, S.C. on June 27, 1954. Juan was honorably discharged as a second class gunner’s mate in December 1954.  

In 1955, Juan and Jerry moved to Commerce, intending for Juan to finish his degree. But funds were tight, so they moved back to Winnsboro in 1956. They welcomed twins Carolyn and David in 1958. Five weeks later, they moved to Cuero, then to Waco in 1961. Finally, in 1962, they returned to Wood County where they settled for good in Quitman and have lived ever since.  Juan was hired by Wood County Electric Cooperative as its power use advisor, and Jerry opened the private “Kiddie Kollege” (predating public kindergarten in schools). Juan completed his degree from East Texas State College in 1964. In 1968, he became the second general manager of WCEC. In 1970, Jerry closed the Kiddie Kollege and they welcomed their last child, D’Ann.

Juan and Jerry have always been partners – whether in their home life or community service.  Both were active in the Quitman First United Methodist Church. Both were appointed at separate times to serve on the Sabine River Authority Board (Jerry was the first female board member on the SRA). Both were active in Texas Electric Cooperatives. Juan is a long-term member of the Rotary Club and Masonic Lodge and was honored as Citizen of the Year in Quitman. But mostly, both were devoted to their family.  

They are also survivors – whether it be the Korean war or a broken back and COVID for Juan at age 89 or a ruptured appendix for Jerry at age 87. Until COVID, Juan and Jerry were active travelers. They celebrated Juan’s 88th birthday in Asheville, N.C., having made a two and a half week road trip there and back.  

They say the secret to their long marriage is “love through the ups and downs, and perseverance.” Jerry says people didn’t think they’d stay married since they were so young when they wed. She said, “We showed them!” Juan says the key was “give and take.” They both agree that they always chose to stay together for each other, as well as for their children.