Jim Nabors, the Hawaii resident well known for his starring role in the 1960s television sitcom "Gomer Pyle, USMC," married his longtime male partner early this month, he told Hawaii News Now Tuesday.

 

Nabors, 82, said he married his companion of 38 years, Stan Cadwallader, who's 64, in Seattle on Jan. 15.

 

Nabors declined an on-camera interview but spoke to Hawaii News Now by phone.

 

"I'm 82 and he's in his 60s and so we've been together for 38 years and I'm not ashamed of people knowing, it's just that it was such a personal thing, I didn't tell anybody," Nabors said. "I'm very happy that I've had a partner of 38 years and I feel very blessed. And, what can I tell you, I'm just very happy."

 

Nabors said he and Cadwallader traveled to Washington state, where gay marriages became legal in early December 2012. They were married at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel in Seattle.

 

A judge performed the marriage ceremony in the privacy of their hotel room with a couple of friends who live down the street from them near Diamond Head as witnesses, Nabors said.

 

http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/20805642/exclusive-actor-jim-nabors-marries-his-longtime-male-partner

Surprise, surprise, surprise!

 

Well, not really. There had always been rumors, supposedly an affair he had with Rock Hudson. Apparently, that whole thing started because the two were friends and also because someone once cracked, "If Rock Hudson married Gomer Pyle, he'd be Rock Pyle, haw haw!" Nabors once remarked "It got so bad (the rumors) that we could hardly be friends, anymore."

 

If they met 38 years ago, that would have made Nabors 44 and Cadwallader 26. That's quite a long, healthy and prosperous relationship and excellent role models for younger (even older) gays. Glad they finally made it official. Congratulations to the happy couple.