Marriage comes natural for the Kneens, who met while in service during World War II. The Marietta couple agreed that their success was due to tolerance and satisfaction.

"We never had any problems. We always had fun," said Harriet, who served as a Army nurse during the war.

"We got along well. We had the same ideas," George said.

Although the Kneens lived three blocks from each other in Derby, Conn., their first meeting occurred in Sardinia, Italy. Harriet's cousin in Derby tracked everyone in the town serving in the war. She wrote Harriett telling her that George, an Air Force pilot, was in Sardinia.

One weekend Harriet, stationed in Rome, went to Sardinia to attend a friend's wedding. Because one of the bride's friends was killed in a RAF plane crash, the wedding was postponed. Harriet, who planned to ride back to Rome with the wedding couple, made alternate arrangements to return on a cargo plane.

In the meantime, the bride informed George that Harriet was in Sardinia. On her way to the airport, Harriet visited with the bride before catching the plane to Rome. George showed up and said, "Hello. I'm George," Harriet recalled. On the way out the door she said, "Hello. I'm Harriet."

Though the meeting was brief, the connection was made. "I think I liked her when I saw her. I was impressed," George said.

After the war was over, George visited Harriet in Derby. "I called her to be friendly. I had no intentions when I called but that was the beginning," he said.

George asked Harriet out for their first date on Nov. 10. He gave her an engagement ring on Dec. 9. They married Feb. 9, 1946.

"We didn't fool around," George said chuckling. It was just wham."

George continued his military career and Harriet stayed home to raise their children, George "Terry" Kneen III and Wendy Kneen Williams. The couple enjoyed traveling and meeting people through his work. While stationed in England, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip entertained them at a private Christmas dinner at Sandringham (the Queen's private estate) because George was the U.S. commanding officer in Norfolk.

Stationed in Marietta in the late '40s, the Kneens returned in 1965 and retired. For 10 years, George acted as director of the Cobb Youth Museum. The grandparents of three grandchildren and five great grandchildren, the couple enjoy golfing together.

"We were satisfied. We were satisfied with the military. We were satisfied with the people we would meet. We were satisfied with each other," Harriet said.

"We were very happy. We made a lot of friends," George added.

With the same core values and following their parents' examples, the Kneens found true love. "(Lasting marriage) just seemed to come," said George.

"We just assumed it would be," Harriet said.