PANORAMA CITY : Love Prevails Despite County Budget Cuts
The threatened county budget cuts may deprive residents of many things, but Richard Hughes made sure Monday that true love would not be denied to Bill Curtis and Diane Collins.
Making the trek from his office in Norwalk to the Sun-Air Convalescent Home in Panorama City, assistant registrar-recorder/county clerk Hughes married the senior couple--74-year-old Bill and 85-year-old Diane.
“This is the only time I’ve ever done this,” said Hughes. “It was this problem of getting them registered.”
Monday was the first day the closest registrar-recorder/county clerk office, in Van Nuys Superior Court, stopped issuing marriage licenses, thanks to county budget cuts. Curtis, who had recently suffered a stroke, was unable to make the journey to downtown Los Angeles for a license, threatening the couple’s nuptial plans.
Hughes was contacted about the couple’s plight, and he said he was happy to oblige.
The two kissed and hugged like two eloping teen-agers. The secret to their chemistry, Curtis said, is in their age.
“She likes young men and I like older women,” grinned Curtis. “That makes it perfect.”
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