SAN ANTONIO
– Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery is a place of solace and comfort for many people here in San Antonio.
For Army veteran Larry Haven, this is a place where he can visit his late wife, Margrate Haven.
“A true love story never ends,” Larry said. “And, I live by that story. So, we were married almost 48 years when she passed away. So, now we’re at 55 (years).”
And, every day for the last eight years, no matter the weather or circumstance, Larry has been at Margrate’s gravesite.
“I lost her on the 23 day of December (2016), and on the 24 day of December, we were making funeral plans, and I came out here on the 24 day of December. And I have been here every single day since,” he said.
Larry and Margrate’s love story began in 1968.
He tells us that three months after they met, they were married.
“I just called and said, What are you doing? And she said, ‘well, I don’t have any plans,‘” he said. “I said, you want to go get married? She said, yeah. So, we drove to Seguin and got married, and came home, (and) went to work the next morning.”
The couple had a daughter, Tracy, and later, a grandson, Dalton.
And, when Larry retired, he says, he and Margrate were always together.
“From that day on, we spent every, every moment together,” Larry said. “She had a doctor’s appointment. I went. We just never were apart.”
On Dec. 23, 2016, Margrate suffered a heart attack during dialysis treatment and passed away, but even after her death, Larry continues to be by her side.
“I can’t imagine starting a day without coming out here. I really can’t. I don’t even know what it would be like,” Larry said. “Our love story will never end, I can tell you.”