Reflections of love
Santa Clarita Men of Harmony serenade seniors for Valentine’s Day
Surrounded by a sea of pink and red balloons, Susan Holt’s blushy cheeks blended in as she giggled when her husband, George, showed he still had the pipes to sing romantically.
“We’ve been married for 58 years. Our love story — this is a wild one,” she said as she looked at her Valentine’s Day sweetheart.
The couple, residents at Atria Senior Living in Santa Clarita, had just finished listening to the Santa Clarita Men of Harmony, a barbershop quartet that went around serenading multiple homes and public spaces on Thursday for Valentine’s Day.
The Holts first met in Fort Lauderdale during spring break in college. The original plan that day was for George to go golfing with a friend, but, instead, bumped into Susan
during a college gathering.
Throughout the years, the couple made their way toward the West more and more, after marrying in Chicago and later settling in Riverside. Just three months ago, the couple moved to Atria Senior Living to live closer to their children and their families, who reside in Valencia.
“George needed assisted living, but I decided to join him. We want to stay together,” said Susan.
“And, she knows how to keep me going,” added George with a large grin. “Whatever I do, she says, ‘That’s good,’ or ‘George, that’s not so good.’”
The couple of five decades said sharing yet another Valentine’s Day together and singing is how they enjoy it best.
Serenades from the Men of Harmony didn’t exclusively bring joy to couples. Atria resident Rosalie Goldenberg said hearing the quartet “brought back beautiful memories about my husband, who passed away about 10 years ago.”
Goldenberg and the Holts were among a group of 50 other residents who celebrated the holiday of love at the Valentine’s Day Tea Party at Atria.
“Every Valentine’s, we always did something special,” Goldenberg said. “He always made me laugh, and events like these, with the singing and red roses, remind me of the past.”