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Ron Howard is celebrating his wife on her special day.
The director, 71, shared a selfie with wife Cheryl Howard as the two mark her 72nd birthday.
“Happy Birthday Cheryl. I’ve been lucky enough to share many, many Dec 23rds with her, and we made a lotta great memories. But this morning might be the most beautiful ever. #NewEngland #wintermagic #HappyHolidays All.”
Ron was joined in sharing well wishes by friends of the famous couple, including Henry Winkler, who wrote, “Cheryl, Stacey and I love you. We are so happy you were born. We’re so happy that your family has grown into such a beautiful bunch of human beings. Happy happy birthday, love Henry and Stacey.🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥”
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Ron and Cheryl first crossed paths when they attended John Burroughs High School in Burbank, Calif.
“I met her, and there was never anybody else,” Ron told PEOPLE in 2019 of Cheryl. “She’s unbelievably supportive and always has been. Our compatibility has endured through all kinds of experiences.”
Back in March, Ron opened up about the key to his long-lasting marriage in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE.
“I think the whole key is learning how to problem solve, learning how to communicate and beginning to trust that you as a couple, you’re good at solving this stuff,” he said.
“Sometimes you feel like you don’t want to talk anymore, ‘Just don’t. Please stop.’ And that’s the wrong path. You’re good at figuring these problems out, and you begin to trust that — and trust each other,” continued the Apollo 13 filmmaker
The couple celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in June, with the director sharing his wonderful memories of their five decades together.
“#GoldenAnniversary Grateful for 50 amazing years and the family and experiences it has yielded,” Ron began his caption, sharing a candid photo of himself and Cheryl, 71, standing before a sunset.
“What an adventure down river through calm soothing waters and some tricky rapids as well. Our key … love and respect each other enough to just keep paddling,” he continued, adding, “Thank God for you, Cheryl.”
