Married July 12, 1941: John Hack and Loretta Maxine Madl
Died July 6, 1999: John Hack
Died Jan. 21, 2010: Maxine Hack

19, getting hitched
What were those two thinking of?
Whatever; it took

Eyes and hair gleaming
They could’ve been movie stars
Two beautiful kids

They got through some stuff
World War II, three boys, cancer
In 58 years

“Till death us do part”
Yet somehow not even death
Could keep them apart

Dad left this earth first
And his passing softened Mom
Made her reflective

Raised in Depression
She wasn’t sentimental
Not on the surface

But she thought a lot
All those years that were such hell
Without her Johnny

And as she held Dad,
Held him in memory, she knew
Some love never dies

I always thought time
Won out in the end; somehow
I think they beat it

Heaven, or memory,
They’re together — always were
Whatever it took

The perfect accompaniment for this, “Their Hearts Were Full of Spring,” is here.