Anthony Topps first met Ophelia in the fall of 1982 and was immediately smitten. For almost 37 years, The Grenada Star’s 2022 Cutest Couple has been living their love story.
“I couldn’t take my eyes off her," Anthony said. “She caught my eye and I had to turn my bike around and go introduce myself to her and her friends.”
At 20-years-old, Anthony decided to ask Ophelia, who was 14 at that time, out on a date.
“I had a basketball game the night he asked me to go out,” she recalled. “I wanted to go with him so bad I just missed the whole game. I didn’t even go. Our first date, we went to a house party, and decided together after a while that it was time to go, and so he took me to what we called the hill, and we just sat and talked.”
As Ophelia finished high school, Anthony took care of her. Upon graduation, Ophelia knew Anthony was the one. “He displayed so much love to me during the three years we dated” Ophelia said. “He took care of me and even taught me how to drive. He respected all of my decisions and still showed me love in spite of.”
In the summer of 1985, the couple was married. They knew in order to build a good life together, the newlyweds would have to work hard and save.
“We became a team,” Anthony stated. “Every decision was a team answer. If she didn’t like my plan or if I didn’t like hers, we talked and figured it out together.”
“You have to learn to trust and respect each other,” Ophelia added. “Not everything that happens in your marriage has to be anyone else’s business.” Both born and raised in Grenada, and both growing up in church, the young couple knew they wanted God as the center of their marriage and family.
“I still to this day strive to be a Proverbs 31 woman,” Ophelia said. “Having our relationship built on faith and trust makes this marriage work.”
After almost two years of marriage, the couple decided to have children. They now have four grown children, Anthony Jr., Malcom, Mandella and Althia, who have blessed them with five grandchildren and one on the way.
Three years ago, the couple chose to become foster parents.
“So many children need good in between homes,” Ophelia said.
“We are family-oriented, and these children need to be loved and cared for while they wait on a forever family,” Anthony added.
The couple’s once, full of children, (five bedroom) house is now empty.
“We are an empty nest now” Ophelia said. “Picnic dates are one of our favorite things to do. We go out to the lake, set up a blanket and a picnic lunch, and just spend time together. There is so much more beyond the water. God has truly blessed us in this marriage and its good to just sit back and enjoy this view with my husband.”
Along with bragging rights, the Topps’ won a prize pack valued at more than $350. It included a bouquet of roses from Carroll-Black Flowers; a dinner for two at Magnolia Smokehouse Grill valued at $50, a $50 gift certificate to LaBella Fonte, two rounds of golf with cart at The Dogwoods Golf Course valued at $85, a $25 gift certificate to Cross Country Seeds, a $25 gift certificate to Plaza Twin Cinema and a one-year subscription to The Grenada Star.
“I couldn’t believe it when The Star called and told us we won,” Ophelia concluded. “I used a picture of us from our 35th wedding anniversary, taken at one of our favorite places, Grenada Lake.”
The Star is looking forward to the Third Annual Cutest Couple Contest in 2023.
“Congratulations to Anthony and Ophelia, and thank you to each couple that entered this year’s contest,” Grenada Star Publisher Adam Prestridge said. “As for our advertising partners, the Cutest Couple Contest vision would not have been possible without the businesses’ willingness to team up with us and support this fun contest.” The contest was designed to not only celebrate Valentine’s Day, but also to give our readers something fun to get involved in. We hope next year will be just as fun as 2022.”
