Charles and Barbara Chrisman of Noel recently celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary.

Both are natives of Noel. Charles put a humorous spin on how long he has known his wife.

"Barbara was raised about three-fourths of a mile from where I was raised. I've known her since she was around five or so. I've had my eye on her for a long time," he said.

The couple both graduated from Noel High School. Charles joined the National Guard at age 18. They got married when she was 19 and he was 20 at First Baptist Church in Noel.

"I started noticing him when I was a sophomore and he was a senior," Barbara said. "We married in 1952."

When they were first married, Charles worked at the Noel milk bottling plant and then for the Pontiac dealership in downtown Noel. Barbara worked for Ralston's Grocery and later for Noel Cleaners.

Then they moved to Tulsa, where Charles worked for North American Rockwell as a foreman for the business, which built aircraft engines, he said. In 1954 they moved to El Paso with the National Guard. Later they moved to Rogers, Ark., where Charles worked at Emerson Electric Company as lead engineer designing automated manufacturing equipment.

After he quit there, he decided he wanted to build homes. He built the Country Club Estates across from the golf course in Noel and the Deer Park addition in Noel.

Then he retired. He pastored an interdenominational church for eight and a half years. Now the couple keep up their property and remain active in their church, Gospel Mission Church. They noted their church had a 65th wedding anniversary celebration for them.

Barbara noted the town of Noel is named after her great-great-great grandfather, Bridge Noel.

"We've always come back to Noel because we lived in Noel when we first married," Barbara said. "Noel has changed a lot. It's still a beautiful area, and we love Noel a lot. It still has a special place in our heart."