Glenda Elliott grew up in Mayfield, Georgia during the 1940s. Long before the Stonewall Riots launched the modern gay rights movement, she met the love of her life — a woman named Lauree.

When Glenda sat down with her friend, Angela Stowe, she told the story of her lifelong love that never had the chance to blossom.

Glenda Elliott is a retired Associate Professor of Counselor Education at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where she co-founded Alabama’s Association for LGBT Issues in Counseling. She told her story as part of StoryCorps OutLoud.

Originally aired September 18, 2015, on NPR’s Morning Edition.