| HUNTSVILLE’S OLDEST COUPLE |
73 YEARS
OF LOVE
THOMAS AND MARY GAMBRELL
DISCUSS THEIR MARRIAGE THAT
DATES BACK TO 1947
W
e at The Item called to the
public in helping us fi nd the
longest married couple in
Huntsville, and while we as-
pired for a Notebook-esque love story,
Thomas Gambrell offered a more realistic
view on a romance spanning the 19th cen-
tury.
“Back then in our time, there weren’t
much of love stories,” Thomas said simply.
Thomas and Mary Gambrell’s story may
not be one of glass slippers, nor the en-
chanting power of true love’s kiss, however
their love and happiness shines through in
the smallest of ways, and – from what we
gather at The Item – at 73 years together,
the Gambrells hold one of the longest mar-
riages alive in Huntsville today.
Thomas and Mary had known each oth-
er their whole lives from church, however
it was when Thomas returned from serv-
ing in the Army during WWII that he took
notice of Mary. Their relationship started
small with holding hands and soon blos-
somed to attending church together every
Sunday, however it was Mary’s mother
who was keen on her getting married that
helped nudge them towards a lifetime to-
gether.
“We went to a picture show and when I
brought her back home, her momma said,
‘I bet you’re liking that boy,’” Thomas re-
called leading up to his proposal. The cou-
ple was wed soon after in a small ceremony
on Mary’s family’s front porch in July 1947.
Both came from large families, so having
a large one themselves was natural. The
couple raised nine children – four girls and
fi ve boys – and now have 29 grandkids, 50
great-grandkids and 16 great-great-grand-
kids.
Thomas and Mary spent much of their
lives working and didn’t see each other
26 | HUNTSVILLE LIVING | WINTER 2020
often, attributing to why Thomas believes
that love stories just didn’t exist during
their time. Mary worked for JCPenney’s for
27 years and volunteered at the C.O.M.E.
Center while Thomas restored buildings,
tore down what he could not save, built
houses and delivered groceries.
Their busy work schedules allowed their