Meet Norma and Norman Burmah, the longest living married couple in the U.S.

Valentine’s Day isn’t for everyone, but it’s hard to not smile at the story of Norma and Norman, who were recently given the title of longest living married couple in the United States.

“We knew our grandparents were Louisiana’s longest married couple and were pretty sure they were the longest living African-American couple in the United States, but the fact that they could be the country’s longest living married couple is just phenomenal,” granddaughter Glenda McKinley said in a statement. “We see them as our national treasure.”


Together, the Burmahs have had two daughters, six grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.

The Burmahs were married more than 82-years-ago on January 26, 1931. Norma is the spring chicken of the pair and will celebrate her 100th birthday on July 4, 2013. Norman is 102.

According to a recent study published in Time Magazine, couples have a 57 percent chance of making it to their 15th wedding anniversary. If they stay together beyond that, the odds heavily favor them staying married forever.

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal recognized the couple for the longevity of their marriage last year. But as McKinley noted, the recognition for the Burmahs has been some time in the making. For instance, just last year, another couple was cited as the longest living married couple in the U.S. even though they were technically married two years after the Burmas, in 1933.

Amazingly, the Burmahs still live independently despite their advanced age. As noted in a press release touting their milestone, the couple have lived through several historic moments together, including the Great Depression, World War II and more recently, they survived through Hurricane Katrina.


Courtesy of: Yahoo News