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Same-sex couple, together 30 years, wasted no time marrying

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This post has been corrected. See the note at the bottom for details.

At 6 a.m. Monday, with only two other cars and a news truck in the parking lot, Judy and Darletta Horn were first to line up outside the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s office in Norwalk.

The Long Beach couple has been together for 30 years. They have had the same legal name for 17 years but weren’t sure they would ever be able to legally marry.

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“We knew it would eventually happen, but we didn’t think it would be in our lifetime,” Judy Horn, 68, said.

Darletta Horn turned 70 on Friday, when the news broke that Proposition 8’s ban on same-sex marriages had been lifted.

“It’s a birthday present to beat it all,” Darletta Horn said.

When they stepped up to the window at the registrar-recorder/county clerk’s around 8:10 Monday morning, they placed their hands over their mouths. Judy put her right arm around Darletta.

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They presented their IDs. The clerk asked them to check the spelling on the form.

“After 30 years!” Judy Horn said.

They looked at it.

“Yes, it’s right” Darletta Horn said.

The awaiting crowd applauded. The clerk said it would be $104.

Darletta Horn turned to the crowd of couples waiting in line and said, “Best hundred dollars I ever spent!”

The clerk asked them to raise their right hands and affirm the document was correct to the best of their knowledge. They responded, “Yes.”

Some time elapsed while the ink cartridge had to be replaced, then the official document was handed over for them to sign.

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“As Jesus says, it is finished,” Judy Horn said, kissing Darletta before they walked out teary-eyed to more applause.

They plan to have a ceremony Sunday in Northern California.

At noon Monday, they plan to attend the wedding ceremony for Bob Crow, who helped co-found the Long Beach lesbian and gay pride organization.

Bob, 68, and his soon-to-be spouse, Tony Almeida, 46, were second in line Monday morning. The mayor of Long Beach was going to marry them.

In line, they reflected on how much progress has been made. Darletta Horn noted that in the first pride parade, they were advised to wear bulletproof vests.

Today is like “icing on the cake,” Judy said.

For the record, 8:32 p.m., July 1: A previous version of this post said the couple were legally married. They received a marriage license.

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emily.foxhall@latimes.com

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