Roger paid $12 for three minutes but he had some luck on his side. "We talked for three minutes and the nice little Japanese operator came on and said sir you've had a terrible connection I'm going to give you another three minutes without charge so we talked another three minutes and then she came on again and said sir it was still not a very good connection so I'm going to give you another three minutes…I think she was listening in," Rogers said.
After the war Rogers returned home but living together for the first time took some adjusting.
"It is complex, very different relationship being right there together and being eight or ten thousand miles apart," said Rogers.
The adjustment did not take long and they were able to finally start their life as a married couple. Rogers became a priest in the Episcopal Church while Anne was mother to their three daughters.
The couple is a perfect match. They each bring something unique to the marriage. Anne has a passion for music.
"Anne brought that interest in music, she plays the viola, she played for many years with the Greenville symphony and the Spartanburg symphony and I'm not musical but I'm just part of the audience and I appreciate it," Rogers says.
Anne admires Rogers patience and his decision making.
"He investigates everything he thinks about all the possibilities, when he makes a decision it's the right one and I'm more likely to just say take this one or that's fine," she says.
Rogers ability to make smart decisions when the couple decided to move to Still Hopes, an Episcopal Retirement Community here in Columbia.
Still Hopes wants their residents to embody their motto of "Living Well and Living Abundantly." The Harris' are a perfect example of this. They take part in numerous activities, such as aerobic classes, as well as trips to local museums and concerts.
Rogers and Anne have also bonded with other residents.
"You have friends immediately. We knew a lot of people here already and have made a lot of new friends since we came," Anne says.
The couple believes that spending time together over the years has strengthened their marriage and they are happy that they are able to do things they enjoy together while living at Still Hopes.
Anne and Rogers are professionals when it comes to making a marriage last. So, what advice would they give to young couples just starting out?
"Don't go off to Korea three months later," says Rogers.
But on a serious note.
"Just respect each other, as individuals," says Anne.
Anne and Rogers Harris at their apartment at Still Hopes Episcopal Retirement Community
Anne and Rogers eating lunch at Still Hopes
