If you're looking for a heartwarming story, this one will surely lift your spirits. Amidst the current global climate, we could all use a tale reaffirming our belief in love. A couple from Hamilton, Ohio, recently marked an extraordinary milestone: 79 years of marriage. To add to the celebration, both are turning 100 in July 2022, making this summer a season of joy for them. Both TODAY and the local NBC affiliate WLWT have shared their endearing story.
June and Hubert Malicote, born in July 1922 in rural Kentucky, crossed paths at church in Hamilton, Ohio, when they were both 19 and looking for work.
“Luckily, the back pew was vacant, so we took seats. Directly in front of us was a row of young girls, and she turned to me with a smile,” Hubert told WLWT.
This initial spark blossomed into a deep friendship and, soon, love. The couple wed on June 8, 1943. Shortly after their wedding, Hubert joined the Navy during World War II and was assigned to a station in Honolulu, Hawaii.
He sent June a grass skirt to let her know his location.
“A few weeks later, I received a picture, and there she was—my very own Honolulu girl,” Hubert recalled to WLWT, reminiscing about how June had been waiting for him upon his return two years later. “As the train stopped, the conductor beside me said, ‘She's waiting for you.'”
After the war, the couple settled in Hamilton and raised three children. They now have seven grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren. Hubert spent 50 years working at Diebold before retiring, while June was a dedicated stay-at-home mom.
“She was a terrific stay-at-home mom,” Hubert said. “She made the girls' dresses, planted a big garden, canned and preserved food. She was wonderful.”
With such a long-lasting marriage, one might wonder about their secret. Despite coming from an era when divorce was rare, the Malicotes' happiness goes beyond tradition. Hubert asserts that they have “never had a single quarrel,” a claim supported by their daughter Jo, who is 70 years old.
“We didn’t go through life without problems, but we would never do anything to hurt each other,” Hubert told TODAY.
Hubert also emphasized the importance of knowing when to take a break during disagreements.
“If there’s controversy, you might have to walk away for a few minutes,” he explained. “Then you come back in and change the subject or work it out.” This might be why the couple has never quarreled!
While they don't follow a strict date night routine, they cherish each other's company daily.
“We’ve never really gone out much. When the kids were younger, we enjoyed sitting around the table and sharing stories about our day,” Hubert said TODAY.
Nowadays, their routine is quieter. June has suffered multiple strokes, making communication difficult, but after 79 years, words aren't always necessary. They have dinner together every night before watching a movie and always share a goodnight kiss.
“I place Mom in her wheelchair next to Dad, and they hold hands and say goodnight,” their daughter Jo told TODAY. In the morning, they greet each other with huge smiles.”
Their lasting love is genuinely inspiring. The family is organizing a joint birthday celebration, and the couple had the honor of serving as grand marshals for the Oxford Independence Day Parade in Oxford, Ohio, during the Fourth of July weekend.
Cheers to a love that stands the test of time!