By Nina Garcia
Wanda Miller was the breath-taking, new girl in the town of Flat, Texas. There, she attended the same high school as Lloyd Thomas, a handsome, all American athlete, who was a star on the football team.
A group of girls at the school had a crush on Lloyd as did Wanda. The girls would tease Wanda, saying that she didn’t have a chance with the football star. Wanda quickly approached the girls and bet them a bottle of Coca-Cola she could in fact get a date with Lloyd.
On a fair day in 1941, Wanda won that bottle of Coca-Cola and shared it with her new beau, Lloyd.
After courting for some time, Lloyd joined the service and was to be stationed overseas to Paris. Wanda wanted to make sure she had a ring on her finger before Lloyd was to depart out to serve the country. They were married on Jan. 8, 1945.
After serving in the military, rather than stay and work on the farm with his family, Lloyd ventured out and attended school and pursued education as a profession. He was a coach, a high school principal, and even worked for the Dallas County Community College District (DCCCD) for many years.
During the time he worked for DCCCD, Lloyd then decided to move the family to Duncanville in 1973, where they still currently reside in the same house.
In the beginning Wanda was content on being a mother and wife. She later worked and retired from a veterinarian’s office. She was also very active with the First Baptist Church of Duncanville and was on the WMU board of Texas for many years.
The Thomas’ have a lovely family of four children, five grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.
When asked how they managed to have such an enduring marriage, they both replied, “When we both said I do, We DID!” The couple remained committed to always honoring their sacred vows.
They are a testament to a wonderful marriage.
Lloyd suffered a stroke in 2012, but is doing quite well now days. Wanda also is in good health. As they continue to live their lives together, their everlasting love is still quite evident.
Now, Mrs. Thomas is 90 years young and Mr. Thomas just recently celebrated his 92nd birthday on Jan. 12.
And to think, it all started with a bet for a bottle of Coca-Cola.
