“I knew they were meant for each other,” Bill Bownds' 96-year-old mother Kay said

Texas Couple Weds After 41 Years of Dating: 'I Want to Make Her Happy'

After dating for over four decades, one Texas couple decided it was finally time to take the next step.

On the 41st anniversary of their first date, Bill Bownds, 73, got down on one knee and proposed to Linda.

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The couple met in 1975, according to Inside Edition — when he was 31 and she was 30. At the time, Bill was Linda’s daughter’s physical education teacher.

“She looked beautiful and classy,” Bill said.

When asked why Bill didn’t propose sooner, he said he “doesn’t have a good answer,” while Linda added she wouldn’t be the one to propose because “I’m a lady.”

“I figured when it was the right time it would happen,” said Linda. “I just didn’t think it would be 41 years.”

There was no hesitation when he popped the big question.

“I said, ‘Of course. When do you want to do it?’ Bill said next week. I said Monday because I wanted it ASAP,” she told the news outlet.

It comes as no surprise that Bill’s feelings have only grown over time.

“I love her and I want to make her happy and I think she respects me,” he told KHOU.