Isabell and Preble Staver first met on a blind date in Philadelphia. Their lives took an unexpected turn when World War II began, sending Isabell overseas as a Navy nurse while Preble served with the United States Marine Corps, earning a Bronze Star for his bravery.
When the war ended, they reunited, married, and raised five children together. Their daughter Laurie described Preble as a big, outgoing man and Isabell as the one who brought out his gentler side and taught him kindness.
On October 25, 2017, after 71 years together, Isabell and Preble both passed away on the very same day in Norfolk, Virginia. They were laid to rest together in Virginia Beach during Veterans Day weekend—side by side, just as they had spent more than seven decades.