When 17-year-old Violet Prestegard began working on a farm for a woman who was ill, near Millerville, Minnesota, in 1938, she had no idea how hugely her life would change. As she wrote in her diary April 22, "Started flirting with the bosses' son..." And two days later added, "I love him (Raymond Koeplin) like I never loved anybody ever before." Ray also declared his love for her, and they decided to get married. Despite struggles with both sets of parents, they prevailed, and five weeks later got married, both continuing to declare their undying love almost daily.
Until four months later, as Vi was learning to drive, she had an accident, rolled the car, was thrown out, and pregnant, died in the hospital several hours later, leaving distraught Ray, already suffering from extremely painful Staphylococcus pyemia (curable today.) attempting to alleviate the pain, he took all manner of pain drugs, and despite efforts, died three years later. both are buried in the Millerville Seven Dolors Cemetery.
Ray continues the diary with his entries that a reader will share with him to the end.
The Diary of Star-Crossed Lovers depicts not only the loving relationship between Violet
Prestegard and Raymond Koeplin, but reflects on what life was like in the late 1930s in rural Minnesota, with people helping each other, what they did for fun, and a huge amount of visiting back and forth.