Posted on 03/08/2005 8:59:09 AM PST by Huntress
When John Zuniga realized his wife of 70 years was dying last week, he asked to hold her hand and, as tears welled in his eyes, whispered to his family: “She's going. I gotta go. I gotta go.”
Ruby Zuniga, the woman he had called “My dear” for nearly all of his life, died the next day of complications related to Alzheimer's disease. John Zuniga, still holding her hand, succumbed to pneumonia two hours later.
“Their hands never left each other,” said their granddaughter, Annalisa Zapien-Pina of Lee's Summit.
They took their final breaths Thursday lying side by side in their Roeland Park home, a fitting end to what family members say was an inspiring love story.
“It's the way they wanted to go,” Zapien-Pina said. “We kept them home, and they left together. I think it's just a great tribute to their love.”
The couple lived at home with round-the-clock care from family members. Although John Zuniga, 89, suffered emphysema, family members said he still helped wife Ruby, 85, as she struggled with Alzheimer's.
“They had lived together for so many years,” their daughter, Hope Zapien of Kansas City, added. “They couldn't live without each other.”
Today, their life together will be remembered in a joint funeral at St. Agnes Church in Roeland Park.
“It will be very moving, and it will be very beautiful,” Zapien-Pina said. “It will be the culmination of a great love story.”
In an interview with The Kansas City Star in December, near their 70th wedding anniversary, John and Ruby Zuniga had spoken tenderly of a romance that began in the Armourdale community of Kansas City, Kan., and led to six children, 22 grandchildren, 44 great-grandchildren and nine great-great-grandchildren.
The Depression was raging when they met, and Ruby's family was poor, they had said. Because they didn't have running water of their own, Ruby often borrowed it from neighbors. One day she saw John across the street, leaning against a fence post.
“I thought he was cute,” she had said.
From then on, Ruby was on a mission and borrowed water from John's family often. Finally John noticed her, and the rest is history, he said.
Soon Ruby, only 14, and John, nearly 19, were married by a judge in a small ceremony on a blustery December morning. Instead of embarking on a honeymoon, they enjoyed a breakfast prepared by Ruby's aunt and set out to make a family.
They didn't have to wait long. Their first child came when Ruby was 15.
In the next 70 years, John, a waiter, and Ruby, a nurse, traveled the world, purchased a home in what is now Roeland Park and, on their 50th wedding anniversary, renewed their vows. The entire family marched down the aisle at St. Agnes Church with them and later danced at a reception. The day was everything they had hoped it would be, they said.
For their 65th anniversary, their family took them on a Caribbean cruise. And then came their 70th anniversary. Just three months ago, more than 50 of their closest friends and five generations of family celebrated their journey together.
At the time, Ruby had said: “It's a very exciting thing. You think, ‘Oh, my God, we've come this far and look how much ground we have covered.'”
“It made us feel so good; I guess we're lucky.”
Their luck seemed to change in recent weeks, when John developed a cold that grew into pneumonia. As his health deteriorated, so did Ruby's. Ruby quit eating and said to her granddaughter: “Well, I guess I'm going, too.”
When family members tried to persuade her to take care of herself and live — spring flowers are coming soon, they said — she replied: “I've been with John Zuniga for 70 years. There's no life without John Zuniga.”
“He was her reason for living,” Zapien-Pina said.
To reach Kara Cowie, call
(816) 234-7737 or send e-mail
to kcowie@kcstar.com.
I've heard that this is very common for couples who have been together for many years--maybe not for the second spouse to die within hours of the first, but at least within weeks or months, even if he/she seemed healthy at the time the first spouse died.
Soulmates.
I pray God is as generous to me and my wife as He was to this outstanding couple!
Wait...
He already has.
Sniff sniff and bump.
I hope we go to our final destination together as this couple did.
.
.
.
.
.
.
...........and not by driving over the cliff.
I hope this happens to my grandparents who have been together for over 62 years at this point and still going strong.
It's such a sweet story. And I've seen similar things happen in hospital and in the NH's.
'tis a great gift to love and be loved that much.
For those that say Divorce is inevitable, and love cannot last... God offers us John and Ruby. Swift Journey, your work here is done.
Beautiful story, thanks for it.
Beautiful. I've heard of this sort of thing before, and it just reaffirms my love for my creator for giving us this wonderful thing called life.
Blurry monitor ping.
Yep...It touched my heart too.
This is really all anyone can hope for,and it is all we really need,because this comes straight from Heaven above.
This is just so sweet.
Wow.
I sure hope they're better off now.
What a beautiful story. It reminded me of this song by Kathy Mattea. It's called "Where Have You Been".
Claire had all but given up
When she and Edwin fell in love
She touched his face and shook her head
In disbelief she sighed and said
In many dreams I've held you near
Now at last you're really here
Chorus
Where have you been?
I've looked for you for ever and a day
Where have you been?
I'm just not myself when you're away
He asked her for her hand for life
Then she became a salesman's wife
He was home each night by 8
But one stormy evening he was late
Her frightened tears fell to the floor
Until his key turned in the door
Chorus
They'd never spent a night apart
For 60 yrs she heard him snore
Now they're in a hospital
In seperate beds on different floors
Claire soon lost her memory, forgot the names of family
She never spoke a word again
Then one day they wheeled him in
He held her hand and stroked her hair
In a fragile voice she said
Chorus
Where have you been
Ive searched for you forever and a day
Where have you been
Im just not myself when your away
Im just not myself when your away
you CAN ONLY HOPE TO GO LIKE THAT.
My Sweet Baby and I have been married for 40 years this next month! I can only hope we can "go together" like this couple did!
WOW! Makes me tear up!
What a sweet love story!
Prayer sent.
You've got to read this article. Have tissues ready.
She died one night. She took a nap and didn't wake up. No one expected her to go first.
The next night, the wake had to be postponed. He had passed away that day.
No one at work would believe me. They figured there had been a car accident to have two deaths. When I explained it, they said it had to be some illness involved. It didn't seem possible that he could just decide not to live anymore.
TS
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