Houston Senior Living Community Romance Proves Love Has No Age Limits — a Beautiful Octogenarian Wedding

Falling in love in the latter chapters of one’s life might be as unexpected as roses flourishing in the desert. But for two residents of Houston’s senior living community The Buckingham, romance bloomed over breakfast.

Of all of the community’s numerous activities, The Breakfast Club weekly gathering for bacon, eggs and lively discussion was the starting point for Ann Neyland, 77, and Jack Hurt, 84. The two found that they enjoyed each other’s company and a close friendship ensued. Then the COVID-19 pandemic arrived, restricting outside activities and visitors. They grew closer.

“His intelligence,” Neyland says of what attracted her. “He has a lot of life experiences that are interesting. You really get to know someone when you see them frequently and when we met, we were having breakfast together almost everyday. He’s also an extremely patient man, and he’s very supportive of the fact that I’m still working.

“He always encourages me to continue working as long as I want.”

Neyland, who is divorced, continues her 50-year career as a pediatric speech pathologist. Hurt, retired president of the Episcopal Church Foundation and co-founder with his father of The Hurt Company, was widowed in 2019 after 57 years of marriage.

“When we met at a group breakfast at The Buckingham, Ann stood out and was always very interesting to me,” Hurt says. “She and I have a lot of common interests, including church and our faith, which was important to both of us. She’s led a very interesting life, and I really admire her in her career and the way she helps children that are facing problems.

“We’re extremely compatible, and once we got to know each other that turned into love.”

In mid-December of 2020, the couple was wed at Christ Church Cathedral in an intimate, COVID-safe family-only ceremony. We are told that their respective children approved.

“Even later in life, love is something that continues to grow,” Hurt says. “It grows everyday when you have a happy marriage. We also don’t have the pressures we had when we were younger. When you’re married over 30 years you live and learn the responsibility of living with someone and being their mate, and that experience has taught me a lot about my responsibility to my spouse and to God.”

Neyland also has a unique take on love later in life.

“When you are a bit older, you’ve had the chance to learn more about what’s truly important in life, and what’s most important in a marriage,” she says. “I think having the perspective of experience really gives you a different outlook. We also felt like our marriage ceremony was more meaningful than it had been when we were younger.

“We paid a lot more attention to the service, and it wasn’t as much about the details of the wedding.”

The Buckingham, located in the heart of Memorial and overlooking Buffalo Bayou, is considered by many to be Houston’s premiere senior living community and is widely recognized for its first-class amenities and top tier service for both independent and assisted living.