News Photo by Darby Hinkley Doug Taratuta and Clint Kendziorski light the unity candle at their wedding at the historic Spratt United Methodist Church, built 1912, which was moved to the grounds of Besser Museum in 1990 and is now part of the museum’s historic village.

ALPENA — These two are anything but conventional. They’re gay, and they’ve been together for over 20 years prior to getting married at a historic church on the grounds of Besser Museum for Northeast Michigan.

If you know Douglas Taratuta and Clint Taratuta-Kendziorski, you know they’re not only perfect together, but they’re probably two of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet.

The duo has been a couple for more than two decades, but just last August, they finally decided to make it official.

They got married on Aug. 19, 2022 — the 20-year anniversary of their first date.

“There was a party at Grand Lake,” Clint recalled. “Doug crashed the party with some of his friends, and we all went for a pontoon boat ride, and I got there late, the only seat that was left was next to Doug, and so we got talking … and then it got us into this mess,” he said with a laugh.

After tying the knot, the 63-year-olds sat down to talk about what life was like growing up gay in Northeast Michigan, and why they love living here, despite some of the challenges they’ve faced over the years.

“We love Alpena, and Posen,” Clint said.

Overall, both of them have had mostly positive experiences as adults, but growing up as gay males came with some struggles, especially for Doug, who was bullied when he was in junior high and high school.

Doug grew up in Posen, which is where the couple resides together now. He worked in Petoskey for a few years, then on a dairy farm for 17 years, then spent eight years as an interpreter for hearing-impaired students at the junior high and high school in Alpena.

“For the last 19 years, I’ve been at the hospital,” he added. “I work in central processing.”

He is one of seven children in his family, all of whose names start with the letter “D”.

Clint has four brothers. He is originally from Alpena, but moved downstate for eight years, to the Upper Peninsula for three years, then spent one year in Cheboygan before returning to Alpena in 1995.

“I was a teacher, downstate, and then when I moved up to Gladstone, I was an administrator of a school, and I’ve been in administration ever since, and I retired in 2010,” Clint said, adding that he worked in administration at Thunder Bay Junior High.

Clint has been actively involved with the Thunder Bay Arts Council for many years, and is currently serving as first vice president.

“Doug, some of the year, works seven days a week,” Clint noted.

“Netta’s Nursery in Posen, that’s my brother and sister-in-law, so I work weekends for them,” Doug said. He added that Netta’s did all the floral arrangements for their wedding.

The duo explained why they waited 20 years to get married.

“Well, first of all, probably because of me and my job,” Clint said. “We never hid who we were, but didn’t broadcast it. We’re still not that style of person.”

He recalled the first time he realized he wasn’t like others around him.

“I knew at a very early age, I think before I even entered school, that I was different,” Clint said. “And, I learned very quick, in church, that my ‘different’ was not acceptable, and that I was going to hell, and so I buried it.”

Later on in life, he met a woman and fell in love.

“I knew there was something wrong,” Clint said. “It just wasn’t the right kind of love.”

After some time, he decided he couldn’t keep hiding his true self, so he broke it off with her, and came out to his family. That was about two years before he met Doug.

The marriage proposal itself was a pretty casual affair.

“It was very romantic,” Clint said sarcastically. “I came down the stairs and I said, ‘You know what? If we’re gonna get married, we should just get married on the 19th — it’s our 20th anniversary.'”

“We also decided, because we’re getting older, and people get forgetful as they get older, we’ve been celebrating that day for 20 years,” Doug added. “We should be able to remember it.”

They said getting married at the museum offered the perfect setting.

“We saw the church out back,” Clint said. “And, we’re not able to get married in most churches.”

They were so grateful that the museum welcomed them with open arms, allowing them to have their wedding in a beautiful, historic setting.

“I started thinking, the other day, about all the things we have to think about that a male and female couple don’t have to think about,” Clint said. “It’s already a stressful day for anyone.”

He said everyone they worked with for their wedding was kind and gracious, and they had no issues with anyone.

“We’re very positive about Alpena,” Clint added. “I don’t know how many different vendors we worked with to put this together. Every time we called a vendor, there was always this, ‘What’s going to happen?’ Are they going to say ‘Who are you marrying?’ and ‘No, we won’t help you.’ And we never had that at all … Any call we made, they were happy to help.”

They are delighted to finally be officially wed.

The ceremony was officiated by the Rev. Gary Villeneuve and the Rev. Barb Villeneuve from the Community of Christ Church on Clinton Street in Alpena. Adam and Karen Miller did the photography for the wedding, and JJ’s Catering provided the food. Drinks were provided by Jimmie Garant’s, and Annette Carlson provided a wide variety of delectable desserts. Glitz and Glamour provided tuxedos, and Luxury Lavatories provided outdoor bathrooms. Darrel Kelly was the DJ for the reception, held outdoors under a tent provided by JJ’s.

“We wanted to do as much local stuff as we could,” Doug said.

“What we asked people to do, because we’re old enough, and we don’t need another toaster, was to bring canned goods, and we donated them to Trinity Episcopal Church for their food pantry,” Clint said.

Doug is Catholic, and Clint attends First United Methodist Church.

Looking back, Doug recalls his mother loving Clint and hoping that one day they would be allowed to be legally married.

“Doug’s mother, about the time I retired in 2010, she started having some issues, so I was going over there and spending days with her,” Clint said.

“She had Alzheimer’s,” Doug said. “We didn’t realize it soon enough. We should have been staying with her longer than we did.”

“She actually, at some point, told your sister she hoped someday we would get married,” Clint told Doug.

Doug’s mother died about five years ago, but she would have been proud of them now.

The men feel like they’re finally able to fully be themselves now that they’re married.

“I guess the moral of all of this is that we have the same life as anybody else does,” Clint said. “But, because we choose to love each other, a lot of people look down their nose at us.”

He said gay men are just trying to have the same freedoms that others have always been able to enjoy.

“Growing up, I was so afraid,” Doug added. “I never told anyone, even my own family.”

It wasn’t until his older brother came out as gay that he felt he might find the courage to tell someone his secret, too. He finally told his siblings, and they all loved him and encouraged him.

Clint said people are becoming more accepting of same-sex couples, as compared to years ago.

“It’s improving so much,” Clint said. “Even though I don’t consider us old, I can really feel the change in people’s thoughts. To me, it’s so much better than it was when we were little kids.”