Meet Lauralyn and Keith from Oxford, New York

They are living proof that it’s never too late to find love and a new beginning. Lauralyn grew up in Mount Upton, New York, a tiny town with about 500 people. Her parents were both teachers. She left her small town in her senior year of high school, finishing her high school career at East Windsor High. After graduation, she attended Emerson College in Boston. She dropped out twice before deciding to take a different path. She left the country, traveling to Greece, where her brother was stationed during the Vietnam War. She ended up island-hopping, but things took a turn when she got stranded in Istanbul after martial law was declared. The hotel where she was staying locked down, and she found herself stuck with no way out. “I didn’t have enough money to get home,” she recalls. “The people I was traveling with did, and they left me behind. They said, ‘Don’t worry, we’ll go back and get the money from your brother. We’ll send it to you.’” Her anxiety grew as she couldn’t get to the American consulate, and she feared the worst. “I started to get scared that they were going to sell me or something,” she said. But by a twist of fate, her brother’s whereabouts were discovered, and with a collection from strangers, Lauralyn was able to make it back to Crete. Once reunited with her brother, she said her goodbyes and returned to the United States to finish her degree in speech and theater education. After graduating, she met a wonderful gentleman and the two were married. They shared 31 years together before he passed away. During their time together, she taught at Green High School and Middle School in New York. After retiring, she worked part-time for the school district. She was the in-school suspension teacher and then a substitute teacher. She also chaperoned many field trips, several of which brought her to Howe Caverns. Her father was a music teacher, and Lauralyn, a trained singer, carried the love of music with her. Her father would often ask her to play a different instrument in the band, and even though she played eight instruments, she jokingly admits, “I play them all very poorly because I never stuck with any of them.” But singing was different. Singing was something she held on to throughout her life, finding joy in it, and it became her spiritual connection. She’s sung at weddings and funerals, sometimes even for the same person at both, and she continues to sing in the choir. “When I sing, it’s music to my soul,” she says. “I feel like I’m touched by the hand of God.” Keith was born and raised in Dallas, Pennsylvania, in a small town where the land was his playground. He spent his early years working on his uncle’s strawberry and tomato farm, learning to drive all sorts of farm equipment. He worked at the farmstand, selling fresh produce, and was always a quiet, dependable guy. In high school, he not only excelled in sports and track but also sang in the choir. His father, a repairman, taught him how to fix machinery. “He worked on mimeograph machines,” Keith said, recalling the oddity of the time. “I worked with him and learned how to fix those, too.” Keith went on to Johnson College in Scranton, where he studied electronics, pneumatics, and hydraulics. He became an electrical and mechanical engineer and spent over 30 years at IBM, then moved on to Chobani, fixing yogurt-making machines. He is now retired, but his knack for fixing things has remained part of who he is. Their paths crossed on seniorsmeet.com, a dating app. For two and a half years, Keith gently prodded, asking Lauralyn about moving in together, but she wasn’t ready. “I’m good,” she would say. She wasn’t sure if she was ready to open her heart again, but Keith never pushed too hard. He showed up consistently, proving he was reliable, steady, and loving. Eventually, after much back-and-forth, he moved in—not with Lauralyn, but with her mother, on her mother’s request. Lauralyn said. “He became a part of my family in a way no one else could.” Keith laughed, saying, “If her whole family found me useful, then I’d never be going anywhere.” Lauralyn realized he was exactly who she needed—not just a partner, but someone who would love her, flaws and all. “I wanted someone who would participate in my family life,” she says. “If he hadn’t, we wouldn’t be where we are today.” At one point, Lauralyn even called Keith “the lawnmower man” because he was always around, quietly fixing things and helping out. Her mother, protective as ever, would remind Lauralyn, “Don’t take advantage of that man.” Lauralyn said, “Keith wasn’t just useful, though. He is my best friend. He makes me laugh and smile all the time. He’s my rock, my constant.” They visited Howe Caverns just before they were married, and on a tour, the guide told them that anyone who stood on the heart would surely get married. Although they weren’t married yet, they both knew in that moment it would happen. They have spent 15 wonderful years together, building a life filled with love and laughter. Two months ago, Lauralyn received a breast cancer diagnosis. She is also battling chronic kidney disease, nearing the stage of kidney failure. Despite the weight of her health struggles, Lauralyn remains full of life. “I want to die while I’m alive,” she says with determination. “I want to feel every part of life, every depth.” Keith, of course, has been by her side, not out of obligation but because he truly loves her. He makes her laugh, keeps her going, and helps her see the joy in each day. The couples message to the world? “Be kind to each other and communicate openly, honestly, and authentically. Life is too short not to speak your truth and to be with those who truly love you.” Through it all, Lauralyn and Keith’s love story shows us that second chances are real and that true love doesn’t have an expiration date. Life can be unpredictable, but love always finds a way. Thank you so much for visiting!