Book signing
Nan and Britt Pendergrast will sign copies of their book “For Love of the British Isles: Anglophile Diaries Across the Decades,” at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 9 at Tall Tales Books in the Toco Hills Shopping Center, 2205 Lavista Road, Atlanta. Written by Nan, with photos by Britt, the book is a compendium of Nan’s travel journals.
Every morning — rain or shine — Britt and Nan Pendergrast load their rescued golden retriever, Bonnie, into their car and drive to a nearby nature spot for a half-mile walk.
Pretty impressive ritual for a 98-year-old man and his wife, who’s a couple months shy of 95.
“It keeps the corpuscles stirring!” Britt said.
The couple celebrated 75 years of walking hand in hand through life with a party at their Atlanta home Saturday with 120 family members and friends.
“Year after year, it kept getting better and better, and it’s still fun,” said Britt. “I’ve enjoyed every day.”
What’s the secret to their marital magic?
“That’s easy,” says Nan. “I married a saint.”
Nan Schwab was 14 and John Brittain Pendergrast Jr. was 19 when they met at a dance near the Fox Theatre.
Britt said many boys were eager to dance with Nan because she was pretty and smart. Nan was bowled over by Britt’s singing voice and later by his intellect.
After five years of courtship, Britt bested a slew of competitors to win Nan’s hand. “She dated over 200 boys in the five years,” he says in amazement.
By then, Britt, a Georgia Tech and Emory alum, was working in Philadelphia. Nan was in the middle of her junior year at Vassar College. They married on March 30, 1940 at Nan’s home in Buckhead.
Britt’s brother Ambrose visited them shortly after they returned to Philadelphia. He carried a letter from their father. ”The letter had one flat statement,” Britt said. “ ‘How are Britt and Nan getting along? I’ll give that marriage six months.’ ”
Britt’s dad thought the best of Nan. “But he knew all of my warts and wondered how she would put up with me,” Britt said, laughing.
Not only did the marriage endure. It seems to have touched the hem of perfection.
Betsy Eggers and her husband, Jack Honderd, of Brookhaven, have been close to the Pendergrasts since both couples joined the Quaker faith several decades ago.
The Pendergrasts always show deep kindness and respect for each other, said Eggers.
“They build each other up in very humble ways and they only argue with each other when saying, ‘That was my mistake. I’m sorry,’ ” Eggers said. “They also think of each other more than they do of themselves, and they think of the rest of the world more than they do their own relationship.”
The Pendergrasts’ interests and philosophies dovetailed as they raised seven children who attended high school at The Westminster Schools, near their home.
Their passions as pacifists and civil rights supporters led them to mingle with the likes of Coretta Scott King, Julian Bond and crusading Atlanta Constitution editor Ralph McGill. During their involvement in the peace movement opposing the Vietnam War, they hosted “one of the most thoughtful, pleasant houseguests” Nan ever had in her home: actress Jane Fonda.
During those years, Britt was an executive at the Southern Spring Bed Company (later Southern Cross Industries). After retirement, he worked for 11 years in conservation with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, helping to preserve natural, historical and recreational sites across the state.
These days, the Pendergrasts are active in the lives of their children, 20 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren. They live frugally. She cuts his hair. He cuts hers. They go grocery shopping together in Vinings — “only on Wednesdays, senior discount days,” says Nan.
Nan does most of the the cooking. Britt still enjoys being a handyman. They both love working on their wooded three acres. Each week, flowers they’ve picked from their garden adorn the center of their Quaker meeting circle.
They keep up with the news and spend much of their time reading and writing. A horticulturalist and prolific freelance writer for many years, Nan has written two books since 2010. The books, “Neighborhood Naturalist” and “For Love of the British Isles: Anglophile Diaries Across the Decades” feature photographs taken by Britt.
The Pendergrasts share tea time daily at 4 p.m., play Scrabble together, and love watching Atlanta Hawks games — when they’re winning.
“They are inseparable,” said their youngest child, Craig Pendergrast, recalling advice his father once gave him. “He told me to marry the person you can’t imagine living your life without.”
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