Forty Years of Love: The Story of Kenneth & Terri Chauvin

On August 23, 1985, Kenneth and Terri Chauvin stood before God and vowed to love each other for a lifetime. Now, forty years later, with full hearts, they reflect on a marriage shaped by prayer, perseverance, and community—and God’s hand in it all.

Rooted in Parish Life

Kenneth grew up near Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Houma, and that is where he first encountered how faith and family life work together. He watched his parents serve and volunteer in the parish community: “My dad was a lector and commentator, and my mom was in the Ladies Altar Society.” From the start, he was involved in the parish: “All of my sacraments were at Holy Rosary. And I grew up stuffing bulletins for Marilyn Null, serving as altar boy for masses, weddings, funerals, and serving Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, because my Dad was there.”

Seeing his parents serve the Church and getting involved from a young age planted seeds that would shape the kind of man, husband, and father he would one day become. 

A Blossoming Love

Like many love stories, Kenneth and Terri had a chance meeting through their workplace, Terrebonne Bank and Trust, where he worked in computer programming and she worked as a secretary. Kenneth still remembers what first drew him to her: “Everyone loved Terri. She had a beautiful smile, beautiful eyes, and she was kind and friendly.”

They would see each other at staff gatherings and always enjoyed talking to each other. From the beginning, he recognized something special about her. “I saw right away that Terri was a faith-filled woman,” he said, “and that’s what I had prayed for.” Kenneth decided to ask her on a date—that was back in 1983—and they continued seeing each other from there. 

Kenneth later switched to night shifts, and Terri would stop by with home-cooked meals. “She was quite the cook, and that definitely didn’t hurt,” he laughed. But it was truly Terri’s heart—and her family—that drew him in. “I felt a kindred spirit with her parents,” he said. “I could tell that our families shared the same values, like faith, hospitality, being together. It all just fit.”

Terri’s side of the story was similar. She remembers falling for Kenneth quickly, though she was cautious at first. “But meeting his family changed everything,” she said. “After that, I fell in love with all of them.”
 
Kenneth invited Terri to join him and his family at Mass each week, something she hadn’t been doing regularly even though she was raised Catholic. She could tell how much his faith meant to him. “Seeing how much he desired to go to church…something shifted in my heart,” she said. “His faith encouraged mine.”

Their romance grew as they spent more time together and with family. “I think we always just knew we were going to get married,” said Kenneth confidently. “I knew Terri was the person I wanted to build a life with.”

After just over one year of dating, Kenneth asked Terri’s father for permission to propose. “Her dad wasn’t a man of many words,” Kenneth smiled. “I told him I loved her and wanted to marry her. He said, ‘Well, if y’all love each other, that’s okay with me.’ And that was that.”

Growing in Grace Together

Kenneth and Terri were married at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, the parish that had shaped so much of Kenneth’s early life. Attending Mass there became central to their life together as a family.

Throughout the years, both Kenneth and Terri served the church in various ways by being extraordinary ministers, volunteering with youth ministry, helping with confirmation preparation, and more. Through it all, they always kept faith at the forefront. 

Over the years, one prayer in particular became a pillar for their marriage: the Serenity Prayer. “Every carpenter has a tool they always go back to,” Kenneth said. “For us, that tool is the Serenity Prayer. It can be prayed daily, and it has carried us through every season of life together.”
Bearing Fruit That Will Last

Kenneth and Terri raised their two children, Jude and Amie, in a home where faith wasn’t just spoken; it was lived. They brought them up to prioritize faith, family and church life. They sent them both to Catholic school, but it was their daily example that made the most impact. 
 
They instilled the importance of Mass and always went together as a family. “We always sat in the front pew with the kids,” Kenneth said. “They could see firsthand that our life was rooted in faith.”
 
Kenneth also remembered having important conversations with the kids about the Church’s seasons, traditions, and prayers. “We wanted them to understand why we do what we do as Catholics,” he explained.

One tradition especially dear to Kenneth is his annual silent retreat at Manresa, which he has attended for more than 40 years. A special moment for him was getting to bring his son, Jude, when he was a teenager. “It planted something in him,” Kenneth said. “And he still goes every year.”

Terri echoed Kenneth’s passion to guide their children toward God. “As you get older, you realize you do need God,” she shared. “It’s always been important for us to show that to our children.”

Their hearts are full seeing how their children have grown, and now they have three grandchildren. Their son Jude, 36, works as a Senior Network Administrator at Thibodaux Regional and is a devoted father to three boys, Conor, Calvin and Benson. Amie, 32, is a nurse and assistant professor at Nicholls State University. 

“We couldn’t be prouder,” said Kenneth. “We love our kids with a boundless love. And I couldn’t have asked for a better mother for my children or grandmother for my grandkids.”

Their hope has always been to teach their children the importance of faith, humility, and selfless love—and they’ve done just that.

A Garden of Gratitude

Over the years, Kenneth and Terri have grown together in faith, love, trust, and commitment. They pray together, go to Mass regularly, and honor God’s presence in their lives. They both go to bed with a rosary in their hands. “We realize that everything we have—our family, our children, our health—it’s all given to us by God. None of it is from our own doing.”

Kenneth continues to serve at Holy Rosary Catholic Church to this day as a member of the Knights of Columbus, alongside one of his brothers. “Being in the Knights connects me to memories of my dad, and it gives me time with my brother. It’s part of giving back to the church.”

When asked what he admires most about Terri after four decades together, Kenneth didn’t hesitate: “She is the rock of our family. There is nothing she wouldn’t do for me, our kids, or our grandkids. She loves big. Her strength and her faith inspire me every day.”

Terri showered compliments right back that can only be learned through experience. “He’s patient, thoughtful, and conscious of my feelings. And he really has a way of calming me when I feel upset. He’s a great man—everyone who meets him says it.”

Like any couple, they’ve encountered challenges and tough times. But they’ve walked through them together. 

Terri believes in the words of their vows. She said a lasting marriage requires intentional effort from both spouses. “You both have to give 100%,” said Terri. “Let things go, focus on what matters, and always find your way back to each other. And be honest with each other in everything.”

For Kenneth, patience and mutual respect are essential. “You have to look at the big picture, especially in difficult times. We’ve always worked to make things right.”

“And it brings me joy to make her happy,” he added. 

A Beautiful Future

In the coming years, Kenneth and Terri look forward to retirement and spending more time with their grandchildren. They express a profound gratitude for their journey and God’s steady hand through it all. The older they get, the more they realize how precious each day really is.

Kenneth shared, “I sometimes think about what life would be like without her—and I don’t take a single moment for granted. I am truly blessed to be married to her. We’ve had a lovely life.”

Terri feels the same way. “I am very thankful to have Kenneth as my soulmate.”

They’ve learned many things in forty years of marriage, but what they know the most is: God has been at center of their lives, guiding, strengthening and blessing their marriage in every season. And for that, they are incredibly thankful.