‘I do’ Part 2: 12 couples renew vows on Valentine’s Day

February 14, 2020 6:34 PM

Elenee Dao,

Posted: February 14, 2020 6:34 PM

Updated: February 14, 2020 8:41 PM

by Elenee Dao

SPOKANE, Wash. — While many celebrate Valentine’s Day by going on a date, 12 couples from Touchmark Senior Living celebrated this day of love by saying ‘I do’ all over again.

For the 12 couples combined, they’ve been married for more than 600 years. Friday, they all wanted to tell each other they ‘still do.’

“This is my best friend. I love you so much,” said one man to his wife.

“Fifty years ago, we said I do. My life changed for the better that day. Now, after 50 years, you’re still my heart, my soul, my love, my best friend and treasure as we grow old,” said Ben Fuller to his wife Georgia in front of a crowd of people.

Love is in the air Friday, especially for seniors living at Touchmark.

A blue dress that Nancy Rector wore Friday to renew her vows, it’s the same one she put on more than 50 years ago for her big day.

“Took a little body language,” she said moving her shoulders a bit. Her husband Ron Rector laughed. “But, we got there.”

It’s been almost 53 years of laughs, ups and downs for Ron and Nancy.

It all started with a blind date, one of Nancy’s friends wanted to set them up.

“I said ‘Don’t even go there, I’m not, I don’t do that,'” she recalled.

Ron wasn’t too excited to go, either.

“It was an obligation, but at the end of the night, I called her the next day, if that gives it away. The first thing,” Ron said.

Like they all say – the rest was history.

“I think you just feel it. I’m not sure if there’s any particular thing. I liked everything about Nancy, obviously. We were married six months after we were met,” Ron said.

Six months of just knowing each other turned into a lifetime of memories.

“We had a lot of kids to merge together and so we’re going to be a happy family with seven children and that worked out well, too,” Ron said.

So what’s their secret to a long, happy marriage?

“Be very tolerant. Understand that you’re not always right, even though you might think you are. Even if you are, forget it,” Ron said.

“Exactly,” Nancy added.

A new memory was made Friday, standing alongside 11 other couples in front of a crowd full of family and friends.

Each and every single of those people said “I do” again. For Ron, Nancy and many others, they still have a while to keep loving each other each and every day.