Love Stories | Leonard Lauder & Judy Glickman | Sheryl Sandberg & Dave Goldberg | Charlize Theron & Sean Penn

Leonard Lauder & Judy Glickman: A Marvelously Grounded, Old-Fashioned Love Story

Leonard Lauder and Judy GlickmanThey are not star-crossed teenagers, writes the New York Times. The man was for more than 50 years, one half of one of New York’s most prominent couples. Leonard Lauder’s wife Evelyn died in 2011 at age 75 of ovarian cancer and after 52 years of marriage. Judy Glickman was married to shopping center developer Albert Glickman. An accomplished photographer with work in major museums, Glickman is the mother of four children and was married for 54 years when her husband died.  

The two couples knew each other well for over 30 years, primarily within the context of their homes in Aspen. The two men skiied together while the women sometimes played tennis. When Mr. Glickman died two years ago at 79. Mr. Lauder spoke at his funeral. 

The love story weaves in both friends and family — children plotting to bring the two friends together in a romantic laison and most notably Bonnie Laurenberg, the widow of former Democratic senator from New Jersey Frank Lautenberg. The recently widowed Lautenberg told Mr. Lauder: ‘Leonard, you know there is nothing nicer than going out with an old friend, and I think Judy Glickman is the girl for you.’

Bonnie Lautenberg struck again in January 2014 when Mr. Lauder made his move, asking Mrs. Glickman to join him in Palm Beach for a weekend. Glickman declined but had the common sense to share the details with Lautenberg. 

‘You said what?’ Mrs. Lautenberg replied. ‘Call him back!’

‘So I did,’ the new Mrs. Lauder said. 

With much of their families in attendance, Mr. and Mrs. Lauder were married on New Year’s Day, by the water in Sarasota, Fla. The ceremony was officiated by two of Mrs. Lauder’s three sons and one of her daughters-in-law, all rabbis.

To commemorate their love story, Mr. Lauder had T-shirts made. The words printed on them read: “You said what? Call him back!”

Sheryl Sandberg & Dave Goldberg: A Moving Tribute To Tragedy

Sheryl Sandberg, the chief operating officer of Facebook, posted a deeply personal and moving tribute to her husband David Goldberg, who died in a tragic gym accident last week in Puerta Vallarta, Mexico. Goldberg, 47, CEO of Survey Monkey, slipped while exercising on a treadmill in the villa’s gym and struck his head.

Goldberg is celebrated as the rare Silicon Valley executive who truly supported women in careers, and especially those who were also wives and mothers. Sandberg posted the tribute to her husband on her Facebook page.

Dave and I did not get nearly enough time together. But as heartbroken as I am today, I am equally grateful. Even in these last few days of completely unexpected hell – the darkest and saddest moments of my life – I know how lucky I have been. If the day I walked down that aisle with Dave someone had told me that this would happen – that he would be taken from us all in just 11 years – I would still have walked down that aisle. Because 11 years of being Dave Goldberg’s wife, and 10 years of being a parent with him is perhaps more luck and more happiness than I could have ever imagined. I am grateful for every minute we had.

As we put the love of my life to rest today, we buried only his body. His spirit, his soul, his amazing ability to give is still with it. It lives on in the stories people are sharing of how he touched their lives, in the love that is visible in the eyes of our family and friends, in the spirit and resilience of our children. Things will never be the same – but the world is better for the years my beloved husband lived.

Charlize Theron & Sean Penn: Friends to Lovers

Actor Charlize Theron covers the new issue of Elle UK, lensed by Bjarne Jonasson. The golden girl talks in-depth about gender-based pay disparity in Hollywood and her love story with fellow actor Sean Penn. The two were close friends before developing a romantic relationship in 2014. 

‘There were times when I was incredibly unfair to him. And moments where I felt like… he was incredibly unfair to me,’ Theron tells Elle UK readers. 

‘But it makes you realize that no matter how complicated it gets the priority is the relationship.’

The ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ star added: ‘Putting aside that he’s my partner, he’s the love of my life. For the first time I felt my work was bleeding into my life and that made it hard.’ 

Theron previously told Vogue: ‘Sean and I have known each other for eighteen years. We were just really good friends. And it’s been slow going because you are aware that you could screw that up and lose it. We had to think about it.’ 

Theron says she is open to having more children after adopting now three-year-old Jackson from her native South Africa. That case has been in the news after the former Arkansas Circuit Court Judge Michael Maggio filed a request with the Arkansas Supreme Court to voluntarily surrender his law license. Maggio posted details online about Theron’s private adoption. Maggio has an extensive history of posting anti-LGBT comments as well as anti-women comments online.