With Love, Who Needs A Drug?

Not Newt and Naomi McCallum

(CBS)  Just in case you think Valentine’s Day is only for the young, check this out. Three years ago, CBS News Correspondent Steve Hartman introduced us to a couple who found each other well into their golden years. But they were still acting like a couple of high school sweethearts.

Hartman has been doing his “Everybody Has A Story” series for five years and says he could do it 500 more and never ever, ever have another story fall into his lap quite like the one from the McCallums. He visited them recently to get an update.

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Newt McCallum's wife, Phyllis, died of breast cancer in 1994. After that, he tried to keep busy with little projects around the house. But he says each day felt like just another "X" on the calendar. And each calendar -- just another year without her.

"You've just got so many hours in the day to get rid of," he comments.

He was left only with memories and mementos, like a card from Phyllis that says: "Thanks for 32 love filled years and may we have many, many more. All my love, Phil."

Anine McCallum, Newt's nurse practitioner and his daughter-in-law, recalls, "He had all the symptoms of clinical depression... It was difficult, because I knew he could be helped and feel a whole lot better, and I couldn't get him to do it."

Newt said when God wanted him to feel better, he'd feel better and left it at that.

Meanwhile, across town, another life was practically paralleling Newt's.

Naomi Coddington lost her husband to a heart attack. He died playing his saxophone. "I thought I was going to lose my mind completely," says she.

Newt and Naomi. Two people, living in the past, about to leave it all behind.

For years, Newt's daughter-in-law had been trying to get him to go down to the local senior center, wherthey have a potluck dinner every Thursday. But not until three months ago did he finally agree. Figured he'd have a little Jell-O salad and go home.

Instead, he left with Naomi's number.

Naomi: "I snuck it to him."

Newt: "I thought, 'Oh, boy.'"

And they have been dating since.

It wasn't long before they were "smoochin' one another," according to Newt. Naomi confirms, "Didn't take very long."

Well, that's enough of that.

Relatives say they hardly recognize him.

"It's an absolute night-and-day difference," attests Anine.

Of course, Newt and Naomi both credit God for bringing them together and thank Him daily. So it's no wonder Naomi was confused that cold December night: "He came over on the couch and got down on his knees," she recalls, "and I thought he was gonna pray. I thought he was praying. So I bowed my head! And that's when he proposed to me."

She told him "yes." And on Valentine's Day, she told him again -- just before he kissed the bride.

And with that prescription-strength kiss, Newt McCallum guaranteed himself a daily dose of the best anti-depressant there is.

As he says, "Life's better shared."

It's now been three years and two pants sizes since we first told this story…

Newt says, "Yeah, Naomi's a darn good cook."

We found the couple doing pretty much they same thing they were doing when we left: kissing and enjoying pretty much the same wedded bliss.

Newt says, "I'm a happy man."

Naomi adds, "Who wouldn't be happy married to a gentleman like this?"

Lately they've been playing a lot of Yahtzee -- so much Yahtzee, in fact, that Naomi has developed Yahtzee elbow.

Naomi says, "I tore the tendons in here shakin' Yahtzee. I had to go on strong medication."

Her game is still pretty high impact. But I guess not as rough as it was.

She says, "I've calmed down with it."

Newt notes, "She doesn't shake it like she did."

Who does?

Newt and Naomi McCallum also spend a lot of time traveling, to some far-away places, but mostly just back and forth between houses. They spend half the week at his house and the other half at hers, with still no plans to sell either.

She says, "Basically, we both got junk that we don't want to part with."
He notes, "And none of our junk goes together. She's got one kind of junk and I've got another."

Him being the Oscar and her the Felix.

Naomi says, “I have learned not to be particular with my house.”

Newt points out, “I do better now, don’t I?”

“Much better,” Naomi agrees.

The hardest part of any love story is living happily ever after. But Newt and Naomi say as long as you compromise and sacrifice, it is possible. And if you can pick up a long straight, that helps, too.

“Stupid six,” Naomi says after throwing the dice.