The second longest marriage in the world

....and we got to attend their funeral last Saturday. Since they died just 3 days apart,
he was 101 and she was 100, it was a double funeral.

As the bishop said towards the end of the service,
"Their unique passing was as classy and unique as their lives." 
He said a better script could not have been written for a movie.

This couple married in 1929, a year before my father was even born!
They had been married just 2 months short of 84 years.
Most people don't even live as long as this couple was married!

After we were seated in the chapel, and before the actual service began,
I decided to go look at the display table of their lives out in the foyer.
I saw their ward missionaries coming up the hall, so I asked them if had known this couple.
They both assured me they did, and said
Max and LaVere were both at church up until just a few weeks ago!


 They were both only 17 when they secretly married. Her parents said it would never last.


Here's a little bit from Max's personal biography that was on display:
He wrote this 9 years before they died, so they had only been married 75 years so far....

I think 17 year olds were made differently back then, compared to now.

I love the way their granddaughter told about a time when both her grandparents were about 80.
Her Grandma walked in the room and her Grandpa said, "Isn't your Grandma so beautiful?"

And in case you are interested, here's their joint obituary that appeared in our newspaper:

When Bishop Perkins learned that just 3 days after Max's death, LaVere died also, 
his first split second reaction was, "Isn't that terrible." 
But he quickly changed his mind and said, "Isn't that wonderful!"

9 comments:

Karen Mortensen said...

What an awesome story.

Richard said...

When Heidi wrote about this recently I thought it must be a misprint or she had her math wrong...guess not. Oddly, I don't think I ever met this couple despite all the years and many different Wards we lived in.

grandmapeg said...

This is a great story of love and devotion. I liked the bishop's comment of "isn't that wonderful". A lady in our ward had her mother and father pass away within a few hours of each other at different hospitals, but they weren't that old. This is a remarkable story. Thanks for sharing it.

Grandma Honey said...

Did you notice, Richard, that our pediatrician gave the closing prayer?

Richard said...

I did notice...he is also now a Temple worker.

Anonymous said...

Thanks Jill! I learned even more from your blog than from just going to the funeral.. It's quite an accomplishment for a young couple to have a lasting marriage, much less one for 83 years! I also noticed that they started their marriage a month a week or two after the stock market crashed! Unfortunately they weren't active for many years and none of their kids/grandkids are members, though they seem like very nice people. They did get active and married in the temple in their 90s! It's also amazing that he was working till he was 100....wow..

Heidi

Grandma Honey said...

Heidi...I wish their daughters and grandchildren would have shared more about their lives together, but i know it takes lots of courage just to get up there and speak at a funeral.

Lisa said...

I love how you captured this story & displayed everything! What a beautiful love story. It's hard to imagine living that long!

Susan Anderson said...

Wonderful, and how fitting that they went home together.

=)

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