On February 11th, Floyd and Violet Hartwig, married for 67 years, took their last breaths next to each other, with their hands intertwined. 90 year old Floyd died first, while holding his wife’s hand, aged 89, who died about five hours later.Violet suffered from dementia for the last few years and was taken care of mostly by Floyd. In January, Floyd was diagnosed with kidney failure and was told by doctors he had about two weeks to live. Even through that, Floyd still continued to care for his wife.
Floyd and Violet had known each other since elementary school and romantically connected during World War II, while Floyd was in the Navy. When Floyd was sent back to the pacific, they exchanged more than 100 letters to each other.
In May 1947, Floyd wrote to Violet:
“Hi honey, just a few lines from this lonely blue sailor of yours. Miss you darling and so in love with you.… Honey, I’ll sure be glad when I get out of this. It sure isn’t for me, though at one time I thought the Navy was pretty swell. That was before I fell in love with the sweetest girl in the world.”
On August 16, 1947, they said their vows while Floyd was on leave from the Navy. Together, they had three children — Donna, Carol, and Kenneth. They owned a ranch in Easton, California, where they proudly worked side-by-side into their old age.
“They had a connection, and I think that connection just came more and more, especially in the last months of their lives” – the Hartwigs’ daughter, Donna Scharton
Know more about Floyd and Violet’s love story in this video:
From elementary school friends, to lifelong sweethearts, no war or bodies of water could tear them apart. Their love is a story that withstood the test of time.