Eight decades after heading down the aisle, a White Bear Lake couple may be headed for the Guinness Book of Records.
Clarence, 101, and Mayme Vail, 99, celebrated their 83rd anniversary Sunday, possibly making them the longest married couple alive in the United States.
Married in 1925, they almost didn’t make it to their 25th anniversary. When Clarence became critically ill with tuberculosis in 1948, Mayme made a promise to God that if her husband survived, she would attend mass every day — a promise she kept until last year when health issues forced them to move into an assisted-living center.
Bravo to the Vail’s. 83 years and counting. Think of all they must have endured through over four score years of marriage: experiencing raising six kids during the Great Depression, the trials of WWII, the battle with TB after the War etc. This sounds like a story that someone should write up in more detail.
David Handy+
The Lord bless them and keep them; the Lord make his face to shine upon them and be gracious unto them; the Lord lift up his countenance over them and give them his peace, now and ever. Amen +
Wow. God bless them for 83 years of true patience! Did a little math. The Vail’s were 18 and 16 years of age when they married. Obviously, in 1925, that was a more accepted practice. Today, it’s illegal in some states can land the 18-yr-old on the s*x offender registry. Go figure. In any case, it is truly lovely to see two people who understand that love is a choice, not an emotion…for 83 years. Again, wow!
God Bless them and their very extended family.. This is truly a Godly “long term committed relationship”, in the very best sense of the words.
Gloria in SC
It is wonderful that they have stayed married and had such a long life together, but…. kinda sad that she only did what she thought God wanted her to do (attend mass daily) because her husband lived. Made it sound like a deal with God – you do this and I’ll pay you back by attending mass. I wish that hadn’t been part of the story. Oh well.