Honeymoon never ends for Bob and Doris Miller

“I was aggravated by the time they got there, but their cute daughter caught my eye and put an end to my frustration,” Bob shared. Doris thought the young bellman was quite handsome and the two began dating while the family was in town for the Presbyterian conference.

Bob was attending college at Erskine College and as he entered his senior year, Doris came in as a freshman. “I really wanted to attend a Presbyterian college but my interest in the handsome bellboy helped me to make the right choice of schools to attend,” Doris added with a smile.

In 1938, dates consisted of going to movies or visiting in the parlor of Doris’ dormitory. The couple spent hours talking and learned that they had many of the same values, hopes and dreams for their lives. Both Bob and Doris felt that having a Christian partner would help them navigate the path to a successful relationship; religion has continually played an important role in their lives.

Bob began working as an Assistant Instructor of Chemistry at Clemson and then moved to the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill where he served for two years as an Assistant Instructor of chemistry. As World War II began to escalate, Bob was commissioned in the United States Navy and worked at the Naval Research Lab in Washington, D.C. from 1942 to January 1946.

In 1943, when Bob’s older brother got married in South Carolina, Bob invited Doris to come as his guest to the wedding. But Doris’ mother felt the trip was too frivolous and decided that Doris could not go. This prompted Bob to call and secretly share that he was going to propose and give Doris an engagement ring and her mother agreed to the trip. They were married a few months later on May 22, 1943.

Seventy-five years later, the honeymoon of Bob and Doris Miller is still going on. The couple loves to travel and has been to Switzerland 12 times. “We’ve been to all 50 states but we absolutely love Kingsport,” Bob said.

“The people here are so friendly and Kingsport is just a great place to live,” Doris added. Doris volunteered for 40 years at Holston Valley Medical Center; she has over 8,000 hours of service.

The couple believes that sharing faith, daily conversations, and using compromise helps to strengthen a marriage. “You’ve got to share the same standards and have things in common,” Bob said. “Faith is an integral part of any successful marriage.”

The Millers have a Golden Wedding Anniversary album that says, “Love is not measured in moments of time but in timeless moments,” on the front. Bob, who turns 100 on October 29 and Doris who turns 97 on August 25 embody the perfect ideals for a growing and continuing love story. He loves to zipline and she enjoys bridge with their friends. Whether they are flying in another type of airplane which they love, holding hands, or enjoying worshipping together, this couple is the perfect role model for what marriage, love and commitment mean.