WHITESBORO, TX - Many couples are planning to celebrate Valentine's Day this weekend with dinner, flowers and gifts. But one husband and wife in Whitesboro are doing something special this year to rekindle their love of over half a century.

It all started at an old soda fountain in 1954 in Gainesville.

"I thought he was pretty cute so I made that a regular stop in the mornings,” said Rita Lovejoy.

Hank Lovejoy was a sophomore in high school...working as a "soda jerk"...when he met his lifelong sweetheart.

"There's something kind of romantic about those little old fountains... It worked for us, it did work for us, you bet,” said Hank.

Now going on 52 years of marriage, Hank and Rita own Lovejoy’s on Main Street, a small shop and café in Whitesboro. And as Valentine's Day nears, they say life couldn't be sweeter.

"I think everyday ought to be Valentine’s really, but this is a special time. I don't know how everybody looks at it but I think it's a good time to look at your spouse and count your blessing and let them know for sure what they mean to you,” said Hank and Rita.

They have something special in mind to rekindle their love this year.

"And we're excited about the soda fountain and we're going to be sipping sodas together again right away,” said Hank.

It’s a new, rebuilt soda fountain, just like the one they fell in love at so many years ago.

"I think when we got that fountain, I think there was an excitement that I didn't really realize would have been there for me, I knew it was a passion of Hank's that we do that,” said Rita.

The Lovejoys said the secret to their shared happiness is their faith, commitment and of course - love.

"Unconditional love, it's just unconditional love, and the thing of it is it just gets sweeter and sweeter and I really do just cherish our relationship,” they both said.

Hank and Rita have been working on rebuilding the soda fountain all year. And they said by summertime, they hope their customers will find love over sipping milk shakes and sodas just like they did back in the 1950’s.