An old-fashioned love story 59 years in the making

Although time passes the world by on a daily basis and people come and go into each other's lives, for one Yuma couple, time has brought them through adversity and closer together as they celebrated their 59th anniversary July 6.

Alfredo Cortez, 78, is a Vietnam Air Force veteran who has survived malaria, three plane crashes, and currently suffers from a liver disease.

Alfredo's wife, Maria De La Cruz Cortez, or “Cruz” as he calls her, currently resides in a Yuma nursing home and has dementia and early stages of Alzheimer's.

Alfredo's younger sister Margarita Madrid said that although he now needs hospice care, Alfredo is still very mentally alert.

Alfredo lives with his sister, but regularly visits his wife to entertain her with conversation or music on his guitar.

“When you see them, she acts like she just met him or he just came back from the war. She gets all excited. You don't see that,” Madrid said. “After 59 years, his main concern is still her.”

Alfredo said prior to the anniversary that he was excited to celebrate the milestone with his wife, adding that he can only celebrate 59 years of marriage once, because the 60th year is never promised.

For the small party, Alfredo purchased two important things. He bought Cruz a new dress and a formal uniform to show off to his wife.

“She always admired me with a uniform, so I bought a formal uniform. I'm going to wear all of my medals,” Alfredo said, adding that he earned seven medals in the military.

Alfredo and Cruz met through one of her brothers in high school. He asked her to be his date to prom. Alfredo added that his future mother-in-law was a traditionalist and he was only allowed to visit the family, and if he wanted to talk to Cruz, that was his moment.

“She wouldn't let us hold hands and she wouldn't let us get near...like young ones do nowadays,” he said.

“I never got to hold hands with my wife until the prom and I never got to kiss my wife until after we got married.”

The couple graduated in May 1952 and got married at a small Yuma chapel in July of that year.

The couple has four boys who live in scattered parts of the country, but Alfredo seems content with the situation.

“If I don't hear from them, that means that they are doing something or in something...what's that old saying? No news is good news.”

In addition to their love of family, the couple has also shared a fondness for music.

Alfredo said he and Cruz used to perform and sing frequently for funerals, weddings and quincenearas. At one time the couple played in a church group in Phoenix, performing at five Masses each Sunday.

Alfredo said that during their 59 years together, he and Cruz have crossed the southern 48 states three times, visited Mexico, Spain, Canada and Alaska.

“We've been half way around the world together,” he said, and he seemed prepared to travel the other half if given the chance.