for Jesus—and, she adds with a smile, for being so handsome.
If asked to describe their marriage in a few words, they offer four: happiness, laughter, love and faith. When asked what love means now compared to when they first married, Ardis answered without hesitation: “I love him even more after 64 years together.”
I Do, Again
When the moment finally arrived, Ardis walked toward Bill once more.
“Thank God he is still with me,” she said afterward.
The Dream Come TRUE
Bill watched her approach in her white dress and offered words that sounded just like a groom on his wedding day: “She is as beautiful as the day I married her.” During the ceremony, Ardis felt overwhelming gratitude. “I am thankful that all our friends are with us today,” she said. There were vows. There was music. There was champagne—a detail Ardis made sure was included. There was laughter and more than a few tears. Surrounded by residents, staff and family, the couple felt the depth of what 64 years together truly means.
For Ardis, celebrating their anniversary with a full ceremony at Cedarhurst was more than a party. It was the joy of experiencing it all again with Bill. Cedarhurst of West Plains has become their second family, and Ardis wanted everyone there to celebrate this milestone. An arch was ordered. Flowers arranged. A white dress selected. Red roses chosen. Champagne chilled at her request. Their daughter and son-in-law stood beside them—just as family had during their original wedding.
“It means the world to us that our kids are standing up with us,” Ardis said.
“We are so loved by these people,” they said.
Volunteers David Ball and Teresa Perkins played special roles in the ceremony, reflecting the couple’s deep appreciation for those who walk alongside them in this season of life. After 64 years, their advice to young couples is simple: “Always talk things over and do it with love.”
To celebrate their love in this season of life felt, in their words, “a blessing to be together.” If asked to sum up the day—and perhaps their marriage—they kept it beautifully simple: “We have been blessed.” In a world that moves quickly, Ardis and Bill remind us that love is not built in grand gestures alone. It is built in nightly kisses. In soft words. In faith. In choosing each other again and again.
And sometimes, even during bingo.
CEDARHURST SENIOR LIVING | SPRING FLOURISH 2026 7
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