SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. - It took Gilbert Van Patten 70 years to earn his high school diploma all because of a promise he made to his wife of 66 years.

On May 16, along with 30 other General Education Diploma students, the 87-year-old proudly walked up to the front of the room at Western Nebraska Community College's GED ceremonies. While family and friends were in attendance of the graduation ceremonies, it was probably his wife who was beaming the most from the heavens above as he finally received his high school diploma.

"This means everything to me. I made my wife a promise before she passed away, that I would finish it," he said. "With the help of the teachers, I got it done. I stayed right with it."

Van Patten dropped out of high school at the age of 16 from Lander Valley High School because he got sick his junior year and missed the second semester.

"The next semester, I went back to school thinking my fall semester grades would be good enough [to make me a senior] because I already passed them. But, when I got back in, they said I couldn't do that," he said. "That meant I would be back another year, and because I already passed it, why do it again? So I said, 'No thank you,' and walked out."

Since then, Van Patten has worked different jobs, while raising his family in Casper.

"We bought a house in Casper in 1958 and put our kids through school there," he said. "And we have the same house today."

Then, why not take GED classes at Casper College? Because of his wife's illness, they had to escape the higher altitude of Casper, so they temporary relocated to Bridgeport to be closer to one of his sons. It was a difficult choice, given that the couple was born and raised in Wyoming.

"We lived in the Panhandle for a few years when my wife was ill. She couldn't take the altitude up at Casper," he said. "We got on the road with our RV because I had a son in Bridgeport and the altitude was better for us."

Van Patten started taking GED classes at the WNCC center in Bridgeport, Neb. in 2005 at the age of 85. A year after starting the classes at the center, his wife passed away in 2006. After his wife's death, he continued to honor his wife with the promise.

Now, he wants to be in inspiration to other generations.

"Start earlier and take it serious and do it," he said. "Don't wait like this because it limits what you can. Maybe I can be an inspiration to these great grandkids, grandkids and family. I had their support to get it done, so it means a lot to get this."

It wasn't easy, though, for Van Patten, especially in English.

"I took [the English test] five times," he said. "I would get a score of 400 and that is it. So, the last time, I said I would let God take care of it. The teacher kind of laughed at me and said, 'I don't think God will give you the answers for you.' I said, 'I turned to Him because I am not doing very good at it.' I got a 480. I mean God did. That means a lot."

Van Patten doesn't want to stop taking classes. He has plans of taking some college classes in the future.

"I am going to work for some college courses," he said. "Whether it will be for a degree or not, I am not sure. If it works that way, that is the way I will go. It will keep myself out of trouble."