Don Brisbane, 90, and Oleta Noseworthy, 89, both widowed, never expected to find love again. But finding each other in a senior living facility changed everything.
BOISE, Idaho — In the halls of a local senior living complex, a couple in their golden ages discovered that love has no expiration date.
Don Brisbane, 90, and Oleta Noseworthy, 89, both widowed, never expected to find romance again. But after living down the hall from each other and encounters in the dining hall, everything changed.
“I really wasn’t looking for a so-called love affair,” Brisbane said, recalling how he moved to the complex at his children’s suggestion after his wife of over 60 years passed away.
Noseworthy, twice widowed, shared her initial hesitation about new relationships. “I thought it was all over,” she said.
Their love story began with stolen glances across the dining room.
“I tried to stare at her, make eye contact, but never got any response,” Brisbane said. “Finally, after a couple of months, we finally made eye contact.”
What started as casual conversation blossomed into something neither expected.
“All of a sudden, we were together,” Noseworthy said, her eyes brightening as she described their relationship. “When he has a twinkle in his eye, I know everything is good.”
Now, the couple, who’ve been dating for a few years, has established their own traditions, including weekly Monday breakfast dates. They added that living in separate rooms is a good thing and gives them their own space.
“Don is a perfect gentleman,” Noseworthy said, reflecting on their courtship.
This Valentine’s Day, they’re celebrating with dinner at Red Lobster.
Both said their families have embraced their late-in-life romance, alleviating one of their biggest concerns about dating again. And that they each fill a void in each other’s hearts.
Others at the facility called the couples’ relationship an inspiration.
“I didn’t know what I was missing,” Noseworthy said. “Until I met Don, I realized that I missed a lot of life.”
Her advice to others? “Someone good is right around the next corner. Don’t give up, but never say never.”
“Companionship increased to more or less loving each other,” Brisbane added.
The couple, who have yet to have their first argument, prove that sometimes the best chapters of life begin in their final pages.