A love story for the ages was shared by a veteran couple from Virginia. The couple met on a blind date decades ago but had to put their relationship on hold due to WWII. They eventually found their way back to each other. More than seven decades ago, Isabell Whitney and Preble Staver fell in love. During the war, the couple aided their country, with Isabell working as a nurse in Maryland and Preble serving as a Marine.
They reconnected a few months after the war and married on February 15, 1946. It was the start of a lifetime together, and despite many tragedies, the couple never reneged on their marriage vows. Isabell and Preble had five children during their marriage, who became the apple of their eye. Like many parents, they were proud of their children and eager to see them achieve their full potential.
When their beloved son, Peter, died in 1975, the couple was dealt a devastating blow. His death occurred in the prime of his life. In Naples, Florida, Peter died while playing his final high school football game. Isabell and Preble were shocked by the tragedy, but they refused to let it ruin their marriage. Laurie Staver Clinton, their daughter, stated: ” “Something like that can either tear a couple apart or bring them closer together, but they made a pact to get through it together.
They were truly each other’s support system. Laurie described a special thing her parents did after Isabell was diagnosed with dementia. While the illness was difficult, it had no effect on their feelings for each other—whenever they wanted to express their love, they held hands and declared how much they adored each other. The one-of-a-kind story moved people’s hearts, and many users confessed that they wished they could have a love like Isabell and Preble’s.
Preble felt his time with Isabell was coming to an end in 2017, near the end of his life. The adoring husband had one heartwarming request before he died. Preble was about to turn 96 when he requested a final nap with his beloved wife as a gift. Preble’s instinct told him he was in one of his final moments with Isabell, and he was correct. The couple shared a bed for three hours, which meant everything to them. Their daughter remembered their memorable final nap together:
“There was not a single word exchanged between them. They fell asleep holding hands. ‘This is mom’s birthday present for you,’ I told Dad. He was overjoyed that he could nap alongside her.” Isabell died a few days later, and her death broke Preble’s heart. Fourteen hours later, the devoted husband died as well.
They were content in life and death as long as they could be together. The one-of-a-kind story moved people’s hearts, and many users confessed that they wished they could have a love like Isabell and Preble’s. Netizens also remarked on how fortunate the couple was to have met and spent so many years together: