Pat Boone was second to Elvis Presley as a chart-topping pop singer from the 1950s to the 1960s.
Pat Boone married his high school sweetheart, Shirley, and they stayed together for 65 years until they were separated by death. Boone still lives in the home where he and Shirley raised their daughters. Even though he’s alone, he’s certain he will soon be reunited with his better half. For now, he enjoys life as a grandfather and great-grandfather.
Pat Boone is a successful musician who gained fame in the late 1950s. He was married to his high school sweetheart Shirley Boone for 65 years.
A friend on Pat’s basketball team introduced them to each other. Shirley was sitting on a bench, and the friend made Pat aware she was the daughter of country musician Red Foley. Pat admitted to not being the biggest fan of country music then, but since he already liked Shirley, that changed quickly.
The singer said their shared connection was rare, especially for 16-year-old high school students. “We were very much in love,” he confirmed. They dated nine months before their first kiss, and Pat was very nervous.
He confessed he only gave Shirley a shaky peck on the lip and left, but his girlfriend was not impressed. When she got home, she asked, “Is that what I waited nine months for?”
But Pat was nervous and feared ruining what he had with Shirley, ending up like his other high school relationships. However, the 16-years-old’s attraction only got stronger. When they turned 19, Pat’s asked Shirley’s father for his hand in marriage.
Pat teared up, telling the story. He explained how emotional Shirley’s father was to see how much they loved each other. “Will you take care of my girl?” asked Shirley’s father.
Foley was emotional because he had planned to move away with his daughter, but he realized he had to leave her with Pat. The singer promised to take care of Shirley, and he did love his wife for the next 65 years they were together. Without knowing what the future held for them, Shirley and Pat eloped and took a chance at one another.
What Life Did Pat and Shirley Have, and How Did They Say their Last Goodbye?
Pat and Shirley eloped in 1953 then settled in Teaneck, New Jersey, where they also welcomed four daughters by the time they were 23 years old.
The couple supported each other; Shirley stayed home and cared for the children while Pat worked hard to graduate from Columbia University and win crowds over with his music.
However, things were looking bright for the singer; by the time he was 22, he already had his network music variety show and was one the youngest artists to achieve that.
He also had a fourth child on the way, so having his family grow while his career was booming felt like a miracle. Boone also hit another milestone when he graduated cum laude from Columbia University.
As a woman married to a music star, Shirley knew there would be a lot of parties involving alcohol, and as Boone’s music was a magnet for many young girls, she knew the music videos would have him touching and kissing other women.
Therefore, Pat was also aware of the position his music career put his wife in, so he recalled asking Shirley for permission to kiss Shirley Jones in his “April’s Love” music video.
Pat was honest...
