The romance of Romeo and Juliet pales in comparison to the love story of Clarence Purvis, a 93-year-old widower, and his late wife, Carolyn Todd. For the past 13 years, the old man and his beloved wife Carolyn had shared lunch at Smith’s Diner in South Georgia six times a week. Clarence and Carolyn continued this tradition until Carolyn’s untimely death in October 2013.
Despite the fact that Carolyn died unexpectedly five years ago, Clarence chose to have lunch with his beloved late wife. Clarence used to eat lunch with his beloved wife right beside him; now he eats his fill with a photo of Carolyn on the table. Clarence chose to continue their tradition in order to honor Carolyn’s memory. “She was always with me when we lived,” a retired auto mechanic told a local news station!
“She’s with me now,” Clarence continued, convinced that as long as Carolyn is in his heart, he will never be apart from her. “She’s a perfect wife if ever there was one,” Clarence said, proud of his happy and long-lasting relationship with Carolyn. “Nobody loved each other like we did. “Everyone said it.” Joyce James, the owner of Clarence and Carolyn’s favorite diner, can only speak highly of their inspiring relationship.
“They were incredible,” Joyce James remarked. “I mean, it was obvious that they adored each other.” Joyce James witnessed how smitten the two elderly were with each other. Joyce was no longer surprised when Clarence appeared, accompanied by a photograph of Carolyn. If you believe that eating lunch together with a photo of his late wife is the only evidence of Clarence’s unending love for Carolyn, you are mistaken. For this is only a small part of his love for his late wife.
Clarence appears to begin each day with a visit to the cemetery. There, the devoted 93-year-old husband gets down on his knees to kiss his wife good morning. “I wish you could come home with me, Baby. “I’d swap places with you,” Clarence would say every day. Clarence would return there before the sun set to check on his wife. During his frequent visits, the old man would reminisce about their glorious 64-year marriage.
And his house is a monumental testament to Clarence and Carolyn’s love and respect for one another. “That light was turned on and it hasn’t been turned off,” Clarence proudly explained as he displayed his lamp. “It will never be.” The elderly man even keeps a picture of Carolyn on her pillow so that her face is the last thing he sees before falling asleep. Despite the fact that Carolyn has died, Joyce believes that Clarence and Carolyn’s love for each other is still a happy love story.
“How many people in the world today have that much love?” Joyce elaborated on her point. “We had a wonderful life. “There ain’t no other girl for me but her,” Clarence added, certain that he had found his perfect match and was making the most of life with her by his side. There is no better testament to love than those who choose to stay in love and commit to each other. Such love is so eternal that even death cannot end it. May we be blessed with the same strong and loving relationship that Clarence and Carolyn have!