World War II was still three years away from ending. Casablanca premiered in theaters across the nation. Radar was a newfangled military technology, and Bing Crosby released the song “White Christmas.” Oh, and Vivian Boyack and Alice “Nonie” Dubes shared their first kiss in Yule, Iowa. The year was 1942.
72 years later — last Saturday to be precise — the couple exchanged wedding vows at First Christian Church, Davenport. Now both in their 90s, they feel they’re taking a brand new step in a relationship that has spanned nearly three quarters of a century.
Boyack, a longtime elementary school teacher, and Dubes, a former payroll clerk for the Times and Democrat newspaper, have lived to see gay rights go from nonexistent to mainstream, and this photo of the two at the altar should be more than enough proof that love can endure in any form.
The two have traveled to all fifty states over the years, all the provinces of Canada and have gone to England twice. “We’ve had a good time,” Dubes understated at the ceremony.
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Jerry Yeast was 18 when he first did yard work for the couple in 1959. He is now 73, and said, “I’ve known these two women all my life, and I can tell you, they are special. This is a very special day for all of us.”
CCTR
Awww! Touching to see their relationships has endured for so many years.
Paul Nadolski
Good for them and congratulations!
CoachS
Heartwarming story. So happy for them… and in awe of the courage that it took to live their truth for so many years in a time and a place where it wasn’t accepted. Cheers to Vivian and “Nonie” on some more great years together.
Charlie in Charge
Very touching; congratulations.
Dakotahgeo
This is heart-wrenching super!!! Congratulations, Ladies! And may more years for you both!
Pastor George M Melby
bottom72
This is so amazing and beautiful. What sweethearts. I am so crying right now.
SteveDenver
I love this and hope these ladies share many more years. It’s been a LONG engagement, I would love to hear their views on how the world has changed for gays and lesbians.
For all those conservatives who claim gays and lesbians only want to get married for reasons of lust, looks like they were right! These ladies obviously don’t want anyone else but each other.
DickieJohnson
Any love that can last for 72 years is miracle. Warmest felicitations to you, Nonie and Vivian! What wonderful news for LGBTs everywhere!
kevininbuffalo
Congratulations to the happy couple! It sounds like they had a great life together.
Note to Queerty: The happy couple isn’t seated before an “alter”, it’s an altar with two a’s. Professional writers should know how to spell.
Desert Boy
Vivian and Alice are simply adorable! I love them!
Geoff B
If I’m so lucky to still be around and have my partner with me when we’re in our 90’s then I’ll know we were as blessed as these ladies are. What a beautiful story.
tricky ricky
idaho says this marriage will cause children born in the future to straight couples to be denied of their bonding right with their parents and therefore gays shouldn’t be allowed to get married. I watched the marriage appeal today.
Chris
Goodness, love that has lasted 72 years. I am in awe of this couple.
Tackle
Monogamy works and is the best way to go. Congratulations to them.
EGO
This is so wonderful, congratulations to the ladies and their celebration of life. Iowa has been an LGBT state for years. :>)
EGO
@tricky ricky: Hey, it is disappointing that there are some butt heads in Idaho, but most of the people are coming around. I was born in Coeur d’Alene, raised in Boise, and now live in Massachusetts with my partner of over 52 years, married 10 years. We had my family reunion at the Grove Hotel in Boise four years ago and also celebrated my mother’s 100th birthday. We invited another couple, Bob and Fred who live in Yakima, WA. While I was introducing everyone at my table, I had to make a sarcastic comment that I was still alive and kicking, unlike Mathew Shepard who was killed next door in Wyoming. There was laughter from the crowd.
edwardnvirginia
We are glad for them, and their families and friends, for dedication to living which spans many decades, and now reaches out as a lovely testimony through social media.
We note that they were able to achieve this without many of the things that so many LGBTQ Americans believes that they need in order to achieve a successful and happy life.
In this they prove quite a lot that is absolutely contrary to contemporary expectations created by LGBTQ media (such as Queerty): that you MUST be online with this or that app (tweeting, twaddling, hooking up, etc) all the time? that you MUST spend lots of time and money – including money from debt, deception and thievery – on your own pleasures and then wasting more money and friends’ and family’s time on the consequences of so much pleasure seeking? that you MUST live in, or frequently visit, a big metro area (where the hooking up and the pleasure-seeking can take even more of your money!)? that you somehow – anyhow – have got to be a celebrity? …
Dear Queerty: please tell stories about, and for, people who are not captives of this Queer Capitalist ideology.
SportGuy
Wow, this is simply amazing! I am so glad after their long life of commitment to each other they were finally able to take this step. Congrats to the new married couple and wish them many many more years together.
mezzacanadese
Wow, these two are amazing! So many years together. I wish them much happiness in the future.
noelani
This is one of the most touching, happy, stories I have heard in a long, long time!