Longtime couple Elton and Betty Denner celebrated their 82nd wedding anniversary in October 2024, followed by Betty’s 100th birthday on Dec. 16. Their great-granddaughter, Macey Montgomery, shared their heartwarming double-milestone celebration in a TikTok, in which Elton bought a special walker so he would be able to dance with Betty on her big day.
“We’ve been blessed in countless ways,” Betty exclusively shares with PEOPLE. “We now have 16 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren, and two great-great grandchildren.”
The Denners’ love story began at Santa Ana High School in California, where they met during a dance. Eager to get to know Elton more, Betty boldly cut in on a dance and they began dating soon after. Their courtship was filled with Saturday nights dancing at the Palladium in Los Angeles to the sounds of Glenn Miller, Frank Sinatra and Tommy Dorsey.
However, World War II brought challenges when Elton enlisted in the Army Air Corps pilot training program in 1943. Before he left, the couple decided to tie the knot on Oct. 18, 1942, at a garden venue in Santa Ana.
Macey Montgomery
After the war, the couple moved to Corona del Mar, Calif., where they raised their family. Following their respective careers, the two decided to travel across America. “We travelled in our ‘Blue Bus’ across the country journeying across the U.S.A. from the East coast to West, continuing into Mexico and Central America,” the couple reflects.
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Now more than eight decades into their marriage, the couple continue to keep each other on their toes. Celebrating Betty’s 100th birthday, the family organized a four-day Disney-themed event as the pair can no longer visit the beloved theme park.
“My great-grandpa wanted to dance with her on her birthday,” Macey recounts exclusively to PEOPLE. “They were actually able to find a sort of dancing/standing walker in order to allow him to dance to one of their favorite songs, ‘Moonlight Serenade’ by Glenn Miller.” The touching moment was captured by Macey in a now-viral TikTok.
As showcased in the video, the family threw a Cinderella ball, where Elton surprised Betty with a dance using his special walker. Elton was dressed as Prince Charming while Betty donned Cinderella’s classic blue gown.
Macey Montgomery
“Their advice for a loving relationship is simple: patience. Don’t win an argument, do things together and with each other and the Lord,” Macey explains. “Most people don’t even have a chance to live for 82 years, and they’ve had a chance to be married for that long, so it’s crazy.”
For Macey, who recently got married herself, her great-grandparents’ love has been a source of inspiration.
“I’ve learned the importance of not taking life too seriously, always finding time to dance and laugh together, valuing family as the most precious gift we have and practicing patience with each other,” she shares.
As Elton and Betty continue to write their love story, their legacy continues to inspire many, including Macey. As Betty says, “We’ve scattered good cheer, compassion and resourcefulness wherever we’ve roamed.”
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