Union readers share their love stories

In honor of Valentine’s Day, the Union asked readers to share their personal love stories.

Here is a collection of all the stories that were submitted.

Chuck and Jan Gibson

On a Sunday afternoon in June of 1957, West Chester identical twins, Joyce and Janice Statler, went to the Washington Skating Rink.

Joyce quit skating early and was wanting to go home, while my mom was still whirling around the rink.

We still tease her about skating over to tell Joyce, “That old man wants to give me a ride home” and Joyce, wanting to have the car to herself, said, “Let him!”

We always asked our dad how he picked mom over Joyce — they were identical. He always smiled and said, “I picked the short, fat, ugly one!”

Unbeknownst to mom, dad was 10 years older than her and had come to Washington from Ottumwa to build, help run and later own the skating rink.

Three months later, they were engaged, and six months later, they were married.

They worked side-by-side at the skating rink, then later at Gibson Shoe Center and The Outback Wester Wear store.

They had three children: Rick, Teri and Russ.

We celebrated their 45th anniversary with an open house that they were not over thrilled about, but loved every minute of it and talked weeks afterwards about it!

Us kids told them we get to plan 45th and they could plan the 50th.

We lost dad six months after that 45th celebration in 2003, but we still smile and have great memories of their wonderful love story.

— Teri Gibson, North Liberty

Our Luv Story

I, Cheryl K. Hummell, at age 14 just got my driver’s permit, left church, was driving, and I see a bum, head down, thumb out along the road by Rome, Iowa.

I made a U-turn, got right beside the bum.

“Hop in. Who are you?”

My mom about died.

“I am Bob Boese. I now live under the bridge at Burlington.”

“Do you work?”

“No. Once you start, you never have to quit.”

I said, “Oh. You kinda need an attitude adjustment.”

Dumped him out a Lockridge. That was it.

Well the next Sunday in the back pew, there sat the bum. Mom was as mad as a hornet.

Over 10 months, we fell in luv. He got drafted. I thought, “Thank you, God. He’ll learn how to work now.”

At 16, and he at 19, went to the courthouse. My mom and his dad signed, and we got married.

After our marriage, I wanted to go to Germany to be with him. I got me a job, saved money and went and stayed a year.

After we came home, we went on to have a son named Robbie in 1969. We lost him to a drunk driver in 1986.

In 1972, we had a daughter, Lori. We lost her in a car wreck in 2010. We have no grandkids.

All marriages have plenty of thorns and roses and fallen petals. We have been married 56 years. You keep the faith, take one day at a time and march on.

We have been blessed by so many — as I call them — “rent-a-grandkids.” We luv them all, and they sure know where our candy drawer is!

— Cheryl K. Boese, Mt. Pleasant

A Star on Broadway

As young men, Tom Hunt and Lee Gobble, good friends and both lifelong residents of Fairfield, were having a friendly game of pool at the local pool hall.

Tom mentioned to Lee that the date he was taking to the dance on Saturday night was a “Star on Broadway.”

Lee responded that he would look forward to meeting this “Star on Broadway.”

Saturday night, Tom danced the night away with the “Star on Broadway.” Lee was impressed!

The attractive young “Star” was also impressed, and on June 12, 1937, Ruth Starr, who lived on Broadway in Fairfield, became Mrs. Tom Hunt!

— Dick and Debbie Hunt, Fairfield

A Secret Marriage

Many years ago my grandma told me this story. She had Alzheimer's at the time, so I'm not 100% sure of the facts, but I would like to think it's true.

She and my grandpa wanted to get married. My grandma's family was against because she needed to be home with the younger kids and help out.

They eloped. No family members there and even ran into a family member afterwards and never said a word.

They married in secret and then went back to their separate families and lived separately for a few weeks before telling anyone.

They were married until his death in 1999. And then when the Alzheimer's kicked in she would talk about him as If he was still here (20 years later), as either her husband or her boyfriend.

— Jami Kaelin, Fairfield

What a Voice!

"WHAT A VOICE!” I heard him say. Little did I imagine that 36 years later he would lose his.

I was at a weekend meditation retreat when I saw this cute guy and heard him say those words about a speaker at the retreat.

He looked so sweet and spiritual — it was love at first sight for me, but NOT for him. He was careful to ignore me. He went out of his way to ignore me (probably because he was recovering from a divorce).

I realized that the only way to get his attention was to work where he worked, so I volunteered at the meditation retreat one weekend. It worked!

I got his attention and six years later we were married.

We had many, many years of happy marriage and then he slowly lost his speech and then his ability to walk. He was diagnosed with possible ALS.

I took care of him at home until it became too difficult. Now he's in a nearby nursing home where I visit him most days.

Despite his physical problems, he maintains a lively mind (like Stephen Hawking) and still makes jokes (on his speech device). His favorite thing right now is to have me brush his hair. He just loves that!

And while I'm brushing his hair I'm thinking that I hope that people know how important this part of a marriage is, how fulfilling it is.

The most amazing thing is that for me this seems like the BEST time in our marriage because now there is only pure sweetness and love.

— Patricia Coit, Fairfield

An Internet Love Story

Shortly after my favorite person, my dad, had passed away, we moved to Cameron, Missouri. We set up our makeshift home in my brother's basement. I spent a lot of time talking to people on the internet.

I talked to many women but there was one who I really loved talking to. I talked to her for over six months. She said she had a daughter and was in Des Moines.

We had a lot in common, but she was so far away. I really wanted to meet her.

So, we arranged to meet and go to Worlds of Fun in Kansas City, Missouri. So, she drove the two-plus hours to Cameron. We waited in my car.

She arrived and was getting ready doing things in her back seat. I stuck my head in their car and asked if I could help.

She looked up. I saw her face and the last I've seen of my heart! I was totally floored.

We all went to Worlds of Fun and had an awesome day together. I was really sad when she went home.

I knew she was the one. After many trips back and forth, we decided to move up to Iowa. We've been together ever since. It's been 15 years now and looks like many more!

— Terry Lewey, Wayland

Love Hath No End

Love stories are the stuff of fairy tales, as well as one of the greatest joys in life.

Our story began 30 years ago when two total strangers met and fell in love. Looking back, I have often wondered how it ever managed even to get off the ground. And always, I am reminded of how thankful I am that it did.

I met my husband, Brian, on the 4th of July when he was interim pastor at my church. After keeping each other company at various summer events, he asked if I’d like to go out to eat. Thrilled, at what I thought was a date, I said “Yes!”

Small towns have a strong rumor mill, so to avoid it, he asked me to “duck out of sight” as we drove out of town. It was confusing, but I complied.

Surprise Number Two came when the waitress asked if checks would be separate or together. Hearing him say, “Separate, please,” negated my date idea right then and there!

The drive home was lovely, and when he walked me to the door, he asked to see me again. For some reason, which is still a mystery today, I eagerly said, “Yes.”

Two years later he proposed, and again I answered “Yes!”

His death last April brought our love story to an end. Brian; I loved you then, I love you still. I’ll love you forever. I always will.

“That which is loved may pass, but love hath no end.”

— Julie Gentz, Washington

Life Doesn’t Get Any Better

I graduated from MPHS in 1959, and in December 1961, I met Patty Enspringer, hair stylist in Mt. Pleasant. Our first date was roller skating the new year in at West Point.

While away at college for the year, we got acquainted by writing letters every day. At spring break, we started “going steady.” Late that summer, I found work in Racine, Wisconsin, and I bought her an engagement ring with my first check.

I popped the question while parked at Oakland Mills watching “submarine races” on the beautiful Skunk River. We married in April 1963, and after 13 years in the area, we moved to New Mexico for the next 45 years before returning to Mt. Pleasant.

We enjoyed trips to the Caribbean, Australia, Bolivia, Hawaii, Alaska and the Colorado Rockies, but the best thing about every trip was just being together. We still hold hands, kiss a lot and never tire of saying, “I love you.”

Believing in and following Christian principles, we have joy, peace, trust and unconditional love for each other. God is good, life is good and wife is awesome! Life doesn’t get any better. I have been truly blessed.

— Jim French, Mt. Pleasant

Adventures and Shenanigans

Dating in your late 40s is a difficult proposition. In 2018, I found myself trying to negotiate the world of online dating, and it wasn’t going well. I either came across people with unreal expectations or some just downright scary people.

By fall of that year, I was getting pretty discouraged, then I happened to match with Molly on a popular app not known for fostering long-term relationships. In her profile, she mentioned she hoped to find someone with whom to share “adventures and shenanigans.”

Going against today’s norms, we did not meet right away. We talked and messaged a lot. We took time getting to know each other and found that we were very much alike. We see the world the same way. We have the same twisted sense of humor. We “got” each other.

One Friday, a coworker of mine brought some homemade apple crisp to the office. Without thinking, I took a photo of my plate and sent it to Molly to make her jealous. She joked that she wanted some too. I asked where her office was, and I brought some to her — our first in-person meeting. A couple days later, she came to my place, where I cooked dinner for her.

A week later, we went on our first official date, to a hockey game in Cedar Rapids. We were just natural together. There was none of the awkwardness that usually happens in the “getting to know you” stage.

After the game, we went to IHOP and ordered a pot of coffee. We sat, drank coffee and talked for hours. We shared things about ourselves we had never told anyone else. It was like we had known each other for years. This was something different from anything I had ever experienced. I knew then that Molly was my person.

Exactly 52 weeks later, we were married. We had a dream honeymoon where I celebrated my 50th birthday drinking Irish whiskey in a tiny pub in Doolin, Ireland.

The honeymoon has not ended, and we have plenty of adventures and shenanigans. Every day, I feel the magic and joy, and I bask in the warmth and comfort of knowing I’m with “my person.”

— James Jennings, Kalona