Famous couples people doubted, yet they’re still going strong.

1 # Ron and Cheryl Howard, a quiet love that stood the test of time.

Ron and Cheryl Howard’s love story began long before Hollywood fame took over Ron’s life. They met in 1970 at John Burroughs High School in Burbank, California. Ron was just 16 when he noticed Cheryl sitting in his English class, and he knew right away he wanted to get to know her.

At that time, Ron was already famous for playing Opie Taylor on The Andy Griffith Show, but their relationship stayed simple. For their first date, Ron picked Cheryl up in his old Volkswagen Bug, which did not even have a working heater. They went to watch a classic comedy film and ended the night with pizza, a memory they still smile about.

Ron was serious about Cheryl from the start. He asked her to marry him three different times before she finally agreed. Cheryl later shared that she turned him down at first because she wanted to focus on her studies and was not ready to jump into his fast moving life.

The couple married on June 7, 1975, in a small and quiet ceremony in Burbank. Over the years, they built a strong family together and raised four children, daughters Bryce Dallas, Jocelyn, and Paige, and son Reed Cross.

One sweet tradition has followed them through Ron’s career. Cheryl has appeared in every film Ron has directed, becoming his personal good luck charm. In June 2025, they celebrated 50 years of marriage. To honor the moment, Ron dedicated a kissing chair in a Burbank park, the same place where they once spent time together as teenagers.

Together for more than five decades as husband and wife, and 56 years as a couple, Ron and Cheryl Howard remain a rare and lasting love story.