He is 84 and she is 85. Since they met in 2018, they have fallen in love with one another a bit more every day. On February 15, Larry Card and Nan Seay Brooks got married.
Their story has been featured by local media including KCCI and WOI-TV.
Nan Seay grew up in Sioux City, Iowa and moved with her family to Des Moines in 1976. She was a stay-at-home mom before running a daycare service for ten years at First Assembly of God Church. She was a counselor for ten more years before retiring. “Now she just tries to counsel me,” Larry jokes.
Larry grew up in Des Moines. He was a graphic arts teacher at Central Campus, a Career Education Coordinator at McCombs Middle School, and when he retired, he was a consultant for vocational/technology education instructors.
Though they met on the day Nan Seay moved in to Valley View Village, Larry says he thought “she was an angel” after hearing her sing at a Christmas concert. He spoke to Nan Seay after the program and they began to get to know each other. The couple say that their faith played a large role in bringing them together. They are both involved in many chapel activities.
Larry is impressed by Nan Seay’s friendliness and warmth. Nan Seay is also impressed by Larry’s kindness and says he reminds her of her father. “No matter where we would go, my father was consistently talking to the people around him, which led to numerous friendships.”
When asked if their families are supportive of their union, the couple responds with an emphatic “YES!” They both agree their children want their parents to be happy and are planning a move to a larger apartment now that they’re married.
In fact, Nan Saey’s daughter says Larry made an excellent first impression on her. When she first caught site of Larry while her mother was moving in to Valley View, she said, “Mom, if you ever want to marry that man, you have my blessing.”
Two years later, Larry and Nan Saey’s relationship was growing in importance for both of them. When Larry heard about the availability of larger apartments in assisted living at Valley View, he stopped in to talk to the office staff about details. “I think we would like to move in together,” he said. “Of course, we will get married.”
Nan Seay says this was the first time she heard Larry talking about marriage. They chose February 15 as their wedding day and made plans as quickly as they could.
When asked for advice about finding love in your 80s, Nan Seay replies, “Let life happen. When Larry and I began getting to know each other, we just naturally started spending as much time together as we could.”
Nan Seay’s daughter Sherry says, “After spending time with Mom and Larry, you’d think they’d been married for 60 years!”
At Valley View Village, we wish them all the happiness in the world and more.
