P.S. My Grandpa's totally gonna get laid
This happened a while ago, but I forgot to post about it:
Bride: 87; Groom: 91; Their love: ageless
Rick Brewer
Record Staff Writer
Published Tuesday, Apr 11, 2006
TRACY - At its root, the Easter story is about life after death.
Luciene Martin and Blaine Selva have an Easter story of their own. It involves life and love after the deaths of their spouses.
Martin, 87, and Selva, 91, are engaged to be married after having become friends and later loving companions while living at Summerville at Heritage Place, an assisted-living facility on Grant Line Road.
The wedding is scheduled for April 22 at the Antioch home of Martin's daughter Veronica Foreman. Selva asked for Martin's hand in March, but there won't be months of wedding plans, gown fittings or flower arranging.
"Life is short at this age," said Martin, who worked as an accountant for several small businesses during her career.
She will however, get a new dress. Martin said her daughter is buying her one.
"I was just going to wear something I owned, but she said no."
Martin moved into Heritage Place in March 1994 with her husband, Robert. They shared two-bedroom Apartment 242 until Robert Martin died in 1997. They had been married 57 years.
Luciene Martin moved into a one-bedroom unit and became a valued fixture at the facility, calling bingo games and welcoming new residents.
Selva's wife of 42 years, Grace, died before he took residence in the facility in 1998. Martin and Selva began playing cards together with a group of other seniors. They also play Scrabble and bingo.
"Eat, sleep and play bingo," Selva said with a laugh.
The other members of their card group eventually died.
"That's the one bad thing" about life in an assisted-living facility, Martin said. "You watch your friends get worse off every day."
But she and Selva, who worked for United Airlines, have remained strong. Both still drive. Martin said her license recently was renewed until 2011.
After a few years of friendship, Martin initiated the bold step of inviting Selva to her room for tea. A year ago, he asked her to go steady.
"We had no idea," said Janis Morris, Heritage Place's spokeswoman. "We have a lot of men and women that couple up, but most of the time they just remain friends and help each other out."
Selva wanted the relationship to progress, so last month he told Martin they needed to talk.
"I thought he was going to dump me," she said.
He did not.
"Of course, I didn't know what I'd do if she said no," Selva said.
Martin accepted the proposal and walked into the facility's office with a stunned look on her face, Morris said. Martin asked if there were any two-bedroom units available. There was only one: 242.
"When she told me that was the one she used to live in, I knew it was special," Morris said.
The couple are waiting until after the wedding to move in together.
"We'll have to learn how to live together," Selva said.
Selva and Martin say companionship is the driving force of their mutual love and respect for each other. Between them, they have five children - all of whom are scheduled to attend the wedding from throughout the United States - eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. No honeymoon is planned, other than maybe a trip to a nearby casino.
Family members are all "pretty surprised, but then again, so are we," Selva said. "I never realized I'd be getting married again."
"It's wonderful," Martin said with a smile. "And it's forever."
http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060411/NEWS01/604110316/1001/ARCHIVE
Bride: 87; Groom: 91; Their love: ageless
Rick Brewer
Record Staff Writer
Published Tuesday, Apr 11, 2006
TRACY - At its root, the Easter story is about life after death.
Luciene Martin and Blaine Selva have an Easter story of their own. It involves life and love after the deaths of their spouses.
Martin, 87, and Selva, 91, are engaged to be married after having become friends and later loving companions while living at Summerville at Heritage Place, an assisted-living facility on Grant Line Road.
The wedding is scheduled for April 22 at the Antioch home of Martin's daughter Veronica Foreman. Selva asked for Martin's hand in March, but there won't be months of wedding plans, gown fittings or flower arranging.
"Life is short at this age," said Martin, who worked as an accountant for several small businesses during her career.
She will however, get a new dress. Martin said her daughter is buying her one.
"I was just going to wear something I owned, but she said no."
Martin moved into Heritage Place in March 1994 with her husband, Robert. They shared two-bedroom Apartment 242 until Robert Martin died in 1997. They had been married 57 years.
Luciene Martin moved into a one-bedroom unit and became a valued fixture at the facility, calling bingo games and welcoming new residents.
Selva's wife of 42 years, Grace, died before he took residence in the facility in 1998. Martin and Selva began playing cards together with a group of other seniors. They also play Scrabble and bingo.
"Eat, sleep and play bingo," Selva said with a laugh.
The other members of their card group eventually died.
"That's the one bad thing" about life in an assisted-living facility, Martin said. "You watch your friends get worse off every day."
But she and Selva, who worked for United Airlines, have remained strong. Both still drive. Martin said her license recently was renewed until 2011.
After a few years of friendship, Martin initiated the bold step of inviting Selva to her room for tea. A year ago, he asked her to go steady.
"We had no idea," said Janis Morris, Heritage Place's spokeswoman. "We have a lot of men and women that couple up, but most of the time they just remain friends and help each other out."
Selva wanted the relationship to progress, so last month he told Martin they needed to talk.
"I thought he was going to dump me," she said.
He did not.
"Of course, I didn't know what I'd do if she said no," Selva said.
Martin accepted the proposal and walked into the facility's office with a stunned look on her face, Morris said. Martin asked if there were any two-bedroom units available. There was only one: 242.
"When she told me that was the one she used to live in, I knew it was special," Morris said.
The couple are waiting until after the wedding to move in together.
"We'll have to learn how to live together," Selva said.
Selva and Martin say companionship is the driving force of their mutual love and respect for each other. Between them, they have five children - all of whom are scheduled to attend the wedding from throughout the United States - eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. No honeymoon is planned, other than maybe a trip to a nearby casino.
Family members are all "pretty surprised, but then again, so are we," Selva said. "I never realized I'd be getting married again."
"It's wonderful," Martin said with a smile. "And it's forever."
http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060411/NEWS01/604110316/1001/ARCHIVE