After 63 years apart, couple says, ‘I Do’

BY Dawn Rankins

After first dating more than six decades ago, Caroline Wallace and Eddie Lamm finally tied the knot in a quaint ceremony in Lake Arrowhead on Oct. 9. Eddie is a long-time resident of Canyon Lake.

Eddie’s wife passed away in December and in late April, Eddie gave Caroline a call. Caroline lost her second husband in 2005.

A mutual friend of the two had seen Caroline at a recent high school reunion and told Eddie he should reach out to her. Eddie‘s reply was, “she probably doesn’t even remember me.” “Oh yes she does,” the friend said and proceeded to give Eddie Caroline’s phone number.

Eddie called Caroline on April 23 and the two spent hours talking. Less than two weeks later, Eddie flew out to South Carolina to meet up with Caroline at her home.

“We kissed under the stars that night,” Caroline said. “It was magical, just like it was when we dated back in 1954. I was a sophomore in high school and Eddie was a senior. We dated from 1954 to 1959, and then Eddie went into the Air Force.”

After spending two weeks with Caroline in South Carolina, the couple packed up a U-Haul and drove back to Canyon Lake, where the couple now live.

They are restoring Eddie’s home of 36 years in Canyon Lake back to its original mid-century modern style. Caroline has restored houses in Middle Tennessee and Georgia. She is a major contributor to Southern Living Magazine.

“Soon, we’ll be able to welcome family and friends into our ‘new’ home,” Caroline said.

The couple chose, Time in a Bottle, by Jim Croce as one of their wedding songs. It represents their journey back to each other.

“What a miracle it is that we found each other after 63 years and now, we can merge our lives together, just when we need each other the most,” Caroline said. “Our love is pure and unshakable.”

Eddie’s dad, Bob Lamm, was a singer and musician and sang with Frances Craig and his orchestra. Craig’s song, Near You, was charted at number one on Billboard 1947, with Bob on vocals. Eddie and Caroline played the song at their wedding.

The concluding lyrics to Near You sum up the couple‘s endearing and decades-long love. “Make my life worthwhile by telling me that I’ll spend the rest of my days…all of those happy, happy days so near you.”

Caroline and Eddie Lamm exchange vows during their marriage ceremony last month in Lake Arrowhead. The two, after being high school sweethearts 63 years ago, were recently reunited. They now live in Eddie’s Canyon Lake home, which they are remodeling. Photo provided by Caroline Lamm

When the two separated when Eddie went into the United States Air Force in 1959, Eddie brought his good training and excellent up bringing with him. He entered the Aviation Cadet program and graduated a year later with a commission as a 2nd lieutenant.

He was a radar navigator logging over 1,000 hours in a B-47 bomber until attending Pilot Training in 1965. Then, he was assigned to flying duties in the KC-135 aerial refueling tanker.

His duties in the KC-135 were interrupted in 1969 for training in the T-33 and the 01-E aircraft for duties as a Forward Air Controller in Vietnam. During his tour in Vietnam, Eddie was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Bronze Star medals for excellence and bravery while participating in aerial combat.

Eddie retired from the Air Force at the rank of Lt. Colonel and Chief of the KC-135 Standardization Division at Castle AFB in Merced County.

Meanwhile, after Eddie left in 1959, Caroline entered and won the Miss Nashville and Miss Talent contest. She began a career as a travel agent and spent 12 years in the airline and travel industry. She has visited over 100 countries as a result of her career then.

Caroline divorced in 1985 after raising two daughters and moved from Nashville to Atlanta. She formed Caroline Wallace and Associates, Inc. and restored houses, specializing in Greek Revival and Victorian.

“The largest design project I have had was developing a fly-in community in Newborn, Georgia with my husband George Kennedy on his 800-acre farm,” Caroline said.  “I continued to design until recently.”

Then, at a high school reunion Caroline attended, Eddie Lamm’s name came up. An old romance was quickly rekindled and mere moments later the two, deeply in love again, are beginning a new life together in Canyon Lake. What a whirlwind…that took 63 years to form.