A love story for the ages

“I never thought I’d be sleeping with an 85-year-old woman,” Joe Dion joked.

Joe and Jean Dion still crack each other up almost 65 years later.

“Just his jokes that I’ve heard 10,000 times,” Jean said. “And she laughs every time!” Joe added.

Their story goes far back.

“In high school. We knew each other, our families, both went to St. Mary’s in Waukegan, Michigan,” Joe said.

“He was President of his class for student council, you couldn’t help not know him,” Jean said.

They married a few years after high school.

“I always dreamed of coming out here, California. It was cold in Michigan, snow, always watched the Rose Bowl and looked at the sunshine,” Joe said.

So they ended up in sunny Palm Desert.

“I started out here. Had two Jack in the Boxes, then I bought two Pioneer Chicken franchises, then I thought ‘I’m going to own my own’ so I started Louisiana Fried Chicken in Los Angeles,” he added.

Five years ago he sold the business and its 90 stores. Now life is all about shuffleboard and golf and lots of travel.

“This fall we’re going on a Panama Canal cruise that’ll put us over 50 countries that we’ve been to,” Joe said.

It’s not just about living life – they want to live it together. As we sat for hours combing back through a lifetime of memories, Bianca Rae asked, “Lasting love eludes so many people. What’s the secret?”

“We fit,” Joe said.

“We never really had any serious problems. He went along, I went along with things,” Jean added.

Then, since they say nothing really surprises them about each other anymore, we asked if they’d each privately say what they love most about each other. They didn’t hear each other’s answers until the story aired on Valentine’s Day.

“She’s an honest gal, good heart, she’s fair, just everything. She’s the perfect woman. I don’t think I can find another woman like that,” Joe said.

“His sense of humor. Even though I’ve heard those jokes for 65 years over and over. It’s fun….what a hard worker he is what he’s accomplished. He started out as a kid shoveling snow and he kept on going,” Jean said.

Now, at the age of 85, they look back at all they’ve done and smile.

“Like the Christmas story “It’s A Wonderful Life.” I think that’s what it’s been,” Joe said with a smile.

“It is, it is,” Jean agreed.