Seventy years ago, Harry Truman was president, the “Peanuts” comic strip made its debut “Annie Get Your Gun” was released at the movies, a loaf of bread was around 13 cents and the Cleveland Browns were NFL champions.
That was also when Robert and Nancy Hostetler got married and began a loving relationship for the ages. Last Friday,
Aug. 28, Robert and Nancy celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary at Ponte Vedra Gardens Alzheimer’s Special Care Center.
Celebrations of any kind are nearly impossible at the moment because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but especially in assisted-living and memory care facilities where residents are among the most vulnerable. So, the Hostetlers’ daughter, Barbara Marlette, wanted to make it special for the couple as best as she could, and discussed her options with Ponte Vedra Gardens program director Jennifer McCormick.
“Jennifer made it really wonderful,” Marlette said. “When we brought it up to her, she just ran with it, and went above and beyond. … She made it better than we could have expected given the situation we’re in.”
Marlette also decided a special dinner was in order for such a celebration. She decided to treat her parents to a home-cooked meal, because she said that is what they would prefer. She made her mom’s homemade meatloaf, mashed potatoes and gravy and noodles — a family tradition. For dessert, she made a pumpkin pie for her dad and a cherry dessert for her mom.
“They just wanted old-fashioned home cooking,” she said.
The Hostetlers have seen a lot in their 70 years of marriage. Both Barbara and Robert grew up in Ohio. Barbara was raised in Canton as one of six children. Robert was born the youngest of six children, and grew up on a farm in Beach City, Ohio, where he left school in the 10th grade to run the farm while his older brothers were away at war.
Their relationship initially began as pen pals while Robert was in the Army, stationed in Alaska. After he left the Army, the couple married on Aug. 28, 1950.
“We had to wait until payday to get married,” Nancy told McCormick. “That is how we chose the date.”
The couple made their home in Massillon, Ohio, and adopted three children, including Barbara, who was adopted after their 4-year-old adopted daughter Becky passed away.
They worked hard, but always put family first, Marlette said. They would take the kids camping all across the country during the summer. Robert worked for Republic Steel for 41 years and, after retiring, the couple decided to buy a mobile home in a retirement village in Sebring, Florida, where they would spend the winters.
In 2018, they moved to the Ponte Vedra Beach area to live with Barbara and her family. But, in 2019, Nancy was involved in a car accident and needed emergency surgery for a brain bleed. During recovery, she was unable to talk and struggled to understand others.
“My dad would just sit and hold her hand and tell her it was going to be OK,” Marlette said. “He was lost without her.”
While Nancy was recovering from surgery, Robert was hospitalized with congestive heart failure, and both required rehab and were placed in separate memory care centers while they recovered. They were then able to make the move to the same assisted-living facility and were thriving. Then COVID hit. Marlette said the isolation of the situation took its toll on her parents, and they were moved into Ponte Vedra Gardens to receive more specialized care.
“We’ve always said from Day 1 when everything happened, we weren’t going to separate them,” Marlette said.
So, when it was time to celebrate their major milestone, Marlette wanted to make it as special as possible. Through a window at the facility, the Hostetlers. got to visit with their daughter and her husband, their two grandchildren, with their spouses, and their five great-grandchildren.
During their special dinner, they were also treated to a video of their lives through the years. Marlette spent weeks going through family photos and making the video, starting with her parents’ childhoods to the time they met and throughout their lives growing their family and up through where they are now.
“I can tell you I cried a lot making that movie,” Marlette said. “I told my husband I probably cried more in the last few weeks while making that movie than I have in the last five years.”
Even though 70 years may seem like a long time to some, it’s apparently just a drop in the bucket for the Hostetlers. McCormick said when the couple was congratulated on their milestone anniversary by Ponte Vedra Gardens staff, Robert responded with, “and we are still just kids!”
McCormick said the love and care between the Hostetlers is evident as soon a you meet them. And their never-ending love story sends a message of hope and happiness during these difficult times.
“With all the bad news going on, it’s nice to know you can still make the best of things and get a bright spot in there somewhere,” Marlette said.
