High School Sweethearts Still Going Strong

Dan and Judy Rivera just recently celebrated their thirtieth wedding anniversary in Centreville. But their story began long before that, as high school sweethearts in Brooklyn, New York.  

"We just kind of learned to grow up together," said Dan, who's now a grandfather.

Judy and Dan met as freshmen at . Dan was a little reserved at first, so pretty soon Judy stepped up to the plate.

"I just beat around the bush, so she asked me to go steady," Dan said. 

Fast-forward to September of 1981. Dan was in the Air Force and stationed in Florida. They were on the phone one night when Judy decided to pop the question. 

"I just said, 'don't you think it's about time?'" Judy recalled. 

It wasn't always easy. They were a military family for many years, and had to learn how to rely on each other. There's a few ways they kept a strong relationship over the years. 

"Marriage has a lot of ups and downs, and so for me it's about surviving the lows and remembering why you fell in love in the first place," Judy said. 

"Compromise. You don't always have to have it your way," Dan added. 

In 1997, they visited Centreville and knew immediately that this was where they wanted to make a new home for their family. They took a leap of faith and quit both their jobs. Almost a month to the day after they visited, they moved to Centreville. Both quickly found work: Judy as a federal contractor and Dan as a software instructor.

"We just came here and fell in love with the place," Dan said.

Judy said that raising three kids helped them grow closer to one another. "Our children are what kept us together," she said. When you have kids, "you work harder at the relationship."

Nodding agreement, Dan added, "We couldn't imagine being apart."