A beautiful love story came out of Hamilton, Ohio, where a couple is celebrating 79 years of marriage.Soon, both will be turning 100 years old.Hubert and June Malicote aren’t just husband and wife, they are best friends.Both were born in July 1922 in rural Kentucky. Eventually, each of them moved to Hamilton looking for jobs.Hubert said an invite to church one evening led him to his future bride.”Miraculously the back pew was empty, so, we went in and they were all standing and right in front of us was a pew full of young girls. And, she looked around at me and smiled,” Malicote said. A friendship blossomed and soon it turned to love. The two were married on June 8, 1943. Soon after, Hubert set off to serve our country in the Navy in World War II.Unknown to June, he was stationed in Honolulu. “One evening I was walking through the commissary, and I saw a grass skirt on the wall. I thought if I could mail that, it would give her some indication of where I might be,” Malicote said. June received the package in the mail, and to Hubert’s surprise, she mailed him a picture of her wearing the grass skirt.”In a few weeks, I got back a picture and I had my own Honolulu girl,” Malicote said.Two years later, there she was, his Honolulu girl, he said, the only one present when his train arrived home.”As the train stopped, the conductor standing beside me said ‘she’s waiting for you,'” Malicote said.The couple settled in Hamilton. They have three children, seven grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. “We’ve never had a quarrel,” Malicote said. “We’ve never had one quarrel.”Hubert said “’til death do us part” holds strong in their marriage.”We meant it,” he said. “It meant something.”The family is hosting the couple a 100th birthday celebration in July.And, they were also invited as Grand Marshalls for the Oxford Independence Day Parade, on Saturday, July 2.After the military, Hubert worked for Diebold. He retired after 50 years at the company.June was a stay-at-home wife and mother.”She was a terrific stay-at-home mom,” Malicote said of his wife. “She made the girls’ dresses. She planted a big garden. She canned and preserved, and she was a good stay-at-home mom.”When it comes to their success as a couple, Hubert said, to find things you have in common.He also emphasized the importance of family. Both agreed to work through difficult times together, and never, ever quarrel.LISTEN: Hear Hubert and June’s full story on our podcast
A beautiful love story came out of Hamilton, Ohio, where a couple is celebrating 79 years of marriage.
Soon, both will be turning 100 years old.
Hubert and June Malicote aren’t just husband and wife, they are best friends.
Both were born in July 1922 in rural Kentucky. Eventually, each of them moved to Hamilton looking for jobs.
Hubert said an invite to church one evening led him to his future bride.
“Miraculously the back pew was empty, so, we went in and they were all standing and right in front of us was a pew full of young girls. And, she looked around at me and smiled,” Malicote said.
A friendship blossomed and soon it turned to love. The two were married on June 8, 1943. Soon after, Hubert set off to serve our country in the Navy in World War II.
Unknown to June, he was stationed in Honolulu.
“One evening I was walking through the commissary, and I saw a grass skirt on the wall. I thought if I could mail that, it would give her some indication of where I might be,” Malicote said.
June received the package in the mail, and to Hubert’s surprise, she mailed him a picture of her wearing the grass skirt.
“In a few weeks, I got back a picture and I had my own Honolulu girl,” Malicote said.
Two years later, there she was, his Honolulu girl, he said, the only one present when his train arrived home.
“As the train stopped, the conductor standing beside me said ‘she’s waiting for you,'” Malicote said.
The couple settled in Hamilton. They have three children, seven grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
“We’ve never had a quarrel,” Malicote said. “We’ve never had one quarrel.”
Hubert said “’til death do us part” holds strong in their marriage.
“We meant it,” he said. “It meant something.”
The family is hosting the couple a 100th birthday celebration in July.
And, they were also invited as Grand Marshalls for the Oxford Independence Day Parade, on Saturday, July 2.
After the military, Hubert worked for Diebold. He retired after 50 years at the company.
June was a stay-at-home wife and mother.
“She was a terrific stay-at-home mom,” Malicote said of his wife. “She made the girls’ dresses. She planted a big garden. She canned and preserved, and she was a good stay-at-home mom.”
When it comes to their success as a couple, Hubert said, to find things you have in common.
He also emphasized the importance of family. Both agreed to work through difficult times together, and never, ever quarrel.
LISTEN: Hear Hubert and June’s full story on our podcast
