Love still strong between Michigan couple married for 83 years

Vicky and Steve Wrubel have been married for 83 years. For The Oakland Press/David Dalton

On Valentine's Day -- or any day -- love can be ageless.

It ignores the failing eyesight. The hearing that isn't as sharp. The slowing steps. Bones that break more easily.

Just ask Steve and Vicki Wrubel.

Handsome at 103, he may not hear a question that's asked of him. Vicki, 102, still attractive with her polished fingernails and styled hair, doesn't get around like she once did.

It doesn't matter. Their love hasn't faltered, even after more than 83 years of marriage. They're always together and likely to be found holding hands, making up for the time lost when Vicki broke her hip and was in a nursing home away from him. He now stays close by protecting her as they adjust to living at Angelica's Place assisted living in Romeo. They lived in Holiday, Fla., since 1978, but relocated this month to be close to relatives.

Watch a report on the Valentine's Day couple during today's News at Noon.

When Vicki fell and was injured, Steve tried to lift her and "messed up my back. But other than that, we're doing OK." He only stopped driving at age 101.

The Wrubels, who met at St. John Catholic Church in Ubly, north of Detroit, married Sept. 28, 1929. After the wedding, family and friends returned to Vicki's parents' farm where they danced on the floor of a granary.

There was no honeymoon. The newlyweds moved to Flint while Steve worked for General Motors. But weeks after their wedding when the stock market collapsed and he was laid off, they moved back to the family farm.

"We didn't have any money, but at least we could eat," Steve said.

Steve eventually was called back to GM and stayed 38 years, before retiring in quality control. "I looked for the defects (in cars) on the (assembly) line," he said.

Vicki worked occasionally, but was primarily a homemaker. The Wrubels had no children. "We didn't question that," Steve said. "God has a plan." Vicki was one of seven daughters, Steve had 11 siblings, so there is no shortage of nieces and nephews and their offspring.

The couple were active socially, dressing up and going dancing often, and family members say they both know their way around a deck of cards, especially when it came to pinochle. He enjoys baseball and maybe will become a Detroit Tigers fan, but after all those years in Florida, he tends to pull for the Tampa Bay Rays.

Vicki still calls Steve "my man" and "my valentine" and today will be holding hands with him as usual, and celebrating being perhaps the country's longest married living couple.

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