A love story 80 years in the making

Molly Hogan
Herald Staff
mhogan@harrodsburgherald.com

There’s just something about being in the room with a couple who have been together for a long time. They can finish each other’s sentences, they know the answer to each other’s questions. It makes you feel happy and hopeful.

At least that’s how one feels when spending time with Paul and Bessie Votaw. The couple have known each other since Paul was 15 years old. He just turned 98 earlier this month.

“See, he’s 9 years older than me,” Bessie, his wife of nearly 70 years, said. “I knew him when I was six years old. He lived across the street on Walnut Hill.”

Paul said, “I had a Model-T Scooter and they came up there and I told them ‘grow up girls and one day we’ll come get ya.'”

And sure enough, 11 years and 13 countries later, he did.

“We will have been married for 70 years this coming September,” Bessie said. But it was a long road to get there.

For the full story, pick up your copy of this week’s Harrodsburg Herald.