8 couples renew their vows at west suburban senior living community: 'We'd do it again'

Thursday, February 12, 2026
BARTLETT, Ill. (WLS) -- Eight couples married a total of 471 years live at a local senior living center.

That's more than 50 years each. On Thursday, they all renewed their vows.



With flowers in one hand and a cane in the other, Agnes Fruehe and her husband, Chuck, made their way down the aisle. They've been married 71 years to the day: Feb. 12, 1955. They have five kids, 14 grandkids and 15 great-grandkids.

"Everything seems to be going well. It's been a good marriage," they said.



Sharon and Don Miller have been married 56 years, but were born a few days apart and actually sort of met as newborns in the St. Anne's hospital nursery.

They now live in the Hearthwood Senior Living community in Bartlett, where they joined with the other longtime married couples renewing their vows.

"Kinda like saying, 'yeah, we'd do it again.' I wanna lock her up for the duration," Don Miller said.

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Family, friends and neighbors from the Hearthwood community came to witness the vows. Of course, they were sealed with a kiss.



"To celebrate life with a renewal of vows is just an extension of what they do each and every day," Eric Gross said.

Joyce and Les Zemba may have the most unlikely marriage there.

She left the convent and her life as a Catholic nun to marry.

It's all detailed in her book, "A Life Like Nun Other." But it was not love at first sight.

"I was not crazy about him at all because he drank too much, and he was a little heavy-set," Joyce Zemba said.



Les Zemba quit drinking, lost weight and they have now been married 54 years.

Agnes Fruehe spoke for all the couples.

"Your faith helps, and wonderful family," she said.

Some advice the couples gave Thursday, included "don't sweat the small stuff" and "marriage is not a part-time job."
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