Domestic Partnership Registration Begins in University City

Three couples left before 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday in .

Registration was to begin at 8 a.m. with City Clerk Joyce Pumm at the reception desk on the first floor.

Charles Redmon and Arthur Loperina, who have been together for nearly 42 years, were the first couple to arrive at City Hall on Wednesday, at about 7:40 a.m.

"It's about time," said Loperina of the opportunity for he and Redmon to register as partners. "Being from New York, we thought it should have been done 33 years ago, when we first moved to University City."

Margaret Johnson and her partner of 25 years, Marcia Levin, were the second couple to be registered. Johnson worked with Mayor Shelley Welsch to help organize the ordinance's passage.

"I think it's a great statement on behalf of the city to recognize lesbian and gay families," said Johnson.

"It's a great move forward for the recognition of lesbians and gays, but personally, I don't need a piece of paper to validate my relationship," Levin said.

Josh Welch and Matthew Nosko, who have been together for three years, were the third couple to register as a domestic partnership at City Hall.

"I think it's absolutely wonderful," Nosko said. "It's a huge step forward for St. Louis County and our wonderful city."

As 8 a.m. rolled around, Pumm came down to the desk to officially start the registration.

All three couples seemed ecstatic as they filled out the registration and signed their paperwork.

Redmon said it was "special" for them to be the first couple to register.

"I think we might do something small," Redmon said of his plans to celebrate the occasion with Loperina. "Or I might go to Clementine's and shout it from the rooftops."

University City Patch Editor Myra Lopez in a previous story.