The marriage between Grady and Marie Jefferys began under uncertain circumstances.
Marie had just left a violent ex-husband, Grady had withdrawn from college, and neither of their parents approved of their relationship.
It was a marriage that defied the social norms of North Carolina in the 1950s, when Grady started his career as a prominent Raleigh journalist and communications consultant.
More than 60 years later, the Jefferys’ marriage has survived challenges that often end relationships: a life-threatening cancer diagnosis, a fallout with one of their children, and a long separation.
“Keeping it Together” is the memoir of an unconventional courtship that has led to a lasting marriage.
Host Frank Stasio talks to Grady and Marie Jefferys about how they have stayed together at a time when the institution of marriage itself has changed dramatically.