Frank Sinatra crooned the words, “Love is lovelier the second time around” and a couple of young-at-heart seniors took his words to heart.

James and Trudy Smith were crowed Valentine King and Queen of the Lillian D. Green Nutrition Center on Tuesday and their love song is “just as wonderful with both feet on the ground.”

The couple met at a Saturday night dance at the Colley Senior Complex in March 2011, and, although Trudy never thought she would marry again, she knew right away that she had been wrong.

“My husband died that November and I felt so alone,” she said. “When I met James, it was a blessing to have someone to talk to and to go places with sometimes. Mostly though, we dated like people used to years ago. We just sat on the couch and talked.”

Trudy said she realized that James Smith held a special place in her heart.

“God is number one in my life but you need a partner that will be there with you through good times and hard times,” she said. “I knew James would be that person.”

The couple got married in July and James said a long courtship wasn’t needed for them to know how they felt about each other.

“When it’s right, it’s right,” he said, with a smile. “I’ve known couples that courted for 10 years before they married and it still didn’t work out. I knew this was right. We like all the same things and whatever we do together, we enjoy.

“Trudy is special to me in every way. I can’t say there is any one thing but, if I had to pinpoint one thing about her, I would say it’s her personality. She is as sweet as she can be.”

Deidra Bailey and her husband, Samuel Adams, happily relinquished the title of the Valentine King and Queen of the nutrition center to the Smiths.

“There’s not a more loving couple than James and Trudy,” Bailey said. “I saw them in Wal-Mart but they didn’t see me. They were talking quietly to each other – in such a soothing way. You could see the love they have for each other. It almost made me cry.”

For those who say, “love comes but once,” James and Trudy Smith can only said, “I’m oh so glad we met the second time around.”