My husband’s grandma Dortha had two true loves: Robert and Emmet. I can’t help but believe that Emmet was her one true love though.
Neither Dortha nor Emmet ever went to high school—each dropped out in eighth grade. They were middle school sweethearts and they dated for a few years until Emmet decided to join the Army in 1942. Dortha didn’t want him to leave but wasn’t ready to commit to him.
Emmet decided to join the Army anyway. After a time of not hearing from Emmet, Dortha decided to write him a letter as a last-ditch effort to see if he would write back and fight for their love.
The letter she wrote was a Dear John letter, proclaiming her love for him—also saying she’d found another man named Robert who she would be marrying if Emmet didn’t write back.
He never wrote back. Dortha reluctantly moved on and married my husband’s granddad, Robert.
Emmet eventually married as well, marrying a woman who agreed to live abroad with him while he served. Emmet and his wife lived in France and Taiwan together with their kids during his service.
Emmet spent his career in the Army, serving for 24 years and rising up to the ranks to SGT First Class when he retired in 1966. During his service, he received several awards for heroic service, including the Bronze Star Medal, a Purple Heart with two Oak Leaf Clusters, and a Combat Infantry Badge. In short, Emmet was very successful in the Army.
The most heartwrenching thing about Dortha and Emmet’s love story? Emmet kept a picture of my grandma in his wallet while he served in the Army, even after he had met and married another woman.
Emmet and his wife were married for 54 years until his wife passed away. It wasn’t until my husband’s grandfather passed away that Dortha and Emmet reconnected, and they were both in their 80s.
Emmet read in the newspaper that Dortha’s husband, Robert, had died, and old feelings came flooding back. He felt for her and wanted to be there for her, but he didn’t know how. He had also lost his wife and longed for companionship. He wondered if the stars were aligning and if they finally had a chance to be together.
Emmet started driving past Dortha’s house to check in on her a couple of times a week. He drove by more times than he cared to admit until he finally worked up the courage to get out of the car and ring the doorbell to say hello. He hadn’t talked to her in decades and wondered how she would feel seeing him show up at her house—or if she would even recognize him.
Luckily, things went well.
Dortha and Emmet enjoyed a short, but blissful marriage. They were both 95 when they passed away.
by Her View From Home 
by Melissa Neeb 
by Janet Morris Grimes 
