Edith and Elbert Maddox celebrated their 80th wedding anniversary by renewing their vows on Thanksgiving, surrounded by five generations.
BREMOND, Texas — While most families spent Thanksgiving gathered around the dinner table, one Central Texas couple celebrated something even more extraordinary than the holiday itself — their 80th wedding anniversary.
Edith and Elbert Maddox, who were married on Nov. 24, 1945 in Marlin, marked the milestone by renewing their wedding vows on Thanksgiving Day. Surrounded by 140 family members spanning five generations, the couple said “I do” once again, this time with all the moments they couldn’t have the first time.
Edith, affectionately nicknamed “Cotton,” and Elbert, known as “Sug,” have known each other nearly their whole lives. They went to school together, grew up together and eventually built a family tree that now includes 12 children, 37 grandchildren, 68 great-grandchildren and 11 great-great-grandchildren.
The couple’s original wedding day looked very different. Edith didn’t have a wedding dress or a wedding cake when they first married in 1945. This time, nearly eight decades later, she finally got both — a moment her family made sure she would never forget.
The vow renewal quickly became the centerpiece of the family’s Thanksgiving celebration — a reminder of enduring love, long-lasting commitment and the blessings that come with time.
On a day built around gratitude, the Maddox family says they couldn’t be more thankful for the love story that has held them all together for 80 years.