115 Years Lost, Collectively

Ray and Richard weren’t acquainted when they each served in the Navy. Unfortunately, as young gay men, the cultural climate at the time did not serve either of them. At just 19 years of age, Ray’s naval duty was to give undesirable discharges to sailors known to be gay. He still shudders at the thought. Ray and Richard met at work and fell in love late in life. Close to 60 before they came out, they were among the first gay couples to be legally married in California in 2008. Today, they are living happily together in Palm Desert. Having spent decades in the closet, fearful of discrimination, danger and rejection, the pair remains forgiving of ignorance and hopeful about America’s growing acceptance of homosexuality.