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PHOTO BY SARAH BRAND
marry a woman who already had three
kids, but it was the best thing I ever did,”
Herbert said.
Herbert, originally from Illinois, traveled
to Minnesota to see Peggie at a state
fair, where he also met the children for
the fi rst time.
“I hadn’t been married before; I was
a bachelor. So it was a big move for me.
And even more for them because I was a
strange guy. But we got along just fi ne,”
he said.
The couple married in Minnesota
when they were both 36 years old and
have been together for 55 years.
Herbert, Peggie and her three children
— Shelley, Shannon and Sherry —
formed what they described as a family
band. Herbert played his bass clarinet
while Peggie played the saxophone;
Shelley played the clarinet; Shannon the
trombone and Sherry the piano. They
recorded the songs they performed and
were even featured on the local news.
Because of Herbert’s service
in the Air Force band, the family
moved around the world, living
in Minnesota, Illinois, Germany,
Florida and Oregon. A few years
ago the couple retired to the
Atrium, an independent Senior
living community, where they
live with their dog Lucky.
“It’s very fortunate for me,
that I was lucky enough to be
alive to take care of her for 55
years. And have a great fi vepiece
combo,” Herbert said
with a laugh.
Joe and Elena Delatorre
Married March 12, 1961
51 YEARS
Joe and Elena came to
Miami from Cuba with a gold
watch, 10 pesos and the clothes
on their backs.
“I had to leave everything,”
Elena said. “My rings, my wedding ring,
everything.”
Joe had met Elena Gutierrez when he
was 28 at a party in Cuba. He was back
in Cuba from medical school in Spain.
He had originally attended the party
for a potential business connection.
But when he met 20-year-old Elena at
that party, even their friends knew the
couple was perfect for each other.
“They said at the party we were at,
‘Oh, we’ll save the sweets and the cake
and all that for the wedding.’ And I said,
‘What in the world are they talking
about?’ And I thought they were crazy,”
she said.
The couple married on March 12, and
by September of that year, the Bay of
Pigs invasion occurred.
Joe’s nephew was arrested, and
the government asked the doctors and
psychiatrists for their medical records.
Joe, however, could not do that to
his patients.
They left Cuba with expired single
and student passports in November of
that year while Elena was eight months
pregnant with their son, Joe.
Joe was born in December and their
second son, Luis, 18 months later. They had
their third son, Charlie, nine years later.
The family lived in Miami, Virginia,
South Carolina and Gainesville. Joe
worked as a psychiatrist and physician
at universities and private practices,
while Elena stayed home and raised
their three boys.
Elena’s biggest hope for the boys was
to fi t in with others their age and to be
successful in America. When the boys
were older, Elena ran an antique shop in
Gainesville.
Joe and Elena have six grandchildren
and one great-grandson. The couple
lives in Gainesville with their dog
Diamond, and they speak lovingly
about each other and their roles in their
52-year marriage.
“My job is to worry,” Joe said.
“Her job is to be happy and spread
the happiness.”
Bob and Marian Mullen
Married November 15, 1941 – 71 YEARS
Bob Mullen and Marian Smith met at
a dance and have been together for the
past 71 years. They married when Bob
was 20 and Marian was 18.
“I’m sure he asked me to dance,” Marian
said. “I had a date, however, but the
date seemed to like him too, so that was
alright.”
“Oh, that was a bad dance at that
time,” Bob said “Because I got into it
with a guy and he knocked me down a
fl ight of steps. Said ‘I hope I never see
you again.’ I told her that. But anyway we
got back together.”
“I didn’t know we were ever apart,”
she said with a laugh.
They met in Indiana, and after marrying
stayed in the state, settling in
24 February 2013 seniortimesmagazine.com