Jan Prinsen ('80) and Julie Gessert Prinsen ('79)We met in the days of the old “ride board” in the commons. Jan had a car, I did not. I posted a note that I wanted a ride home for a weekend in the spring- Jan picked up my name. We went home twice together before we stared dating- you can do a lot of talking on a five hour car trip. So, even though we grew up 20 minutes from each other- it took Stout’s Ride Board to get us together!
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Kevin Donald Wilde ('80) and Mary Elizabeth Goplin Wilde ('80)Mary and I were college sweethearts at Stout, married two years after graduating and have been happily married for over 26 years.
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Bob Johnson ('81) and Amy Gibler Johnson ('80)We met at the Boyceville Cucumber Festival. Following the line pull in the street, they sprinkled saw dust and had a dance. We danced the night away. Our first kiss was near the grain elevator. We each bought a t-shirt, which we still have that says “we had a dilly of a time at the Boyceville Cucumber Festival.”
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Barry W Keller ('81) and Kathy A Murry Keller ('81)Our freshmen year, we were both in Warren Lang's Honors English course. It was the first class in the morning and we didn't really notice each other until around Homecoming. She saw me at night with some friends and told me I looked familiar. I told her she was in my English class. Both of us began to wake up a bit more and started seeing each other everywhere; in particular at strange places. We quickly began dating and knew within 3 months that we were lovers for life. In May it will be 28 years!
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Deborah Peck Miller ('81) and Mark Miller ('80) Mark and I met the first week of my Freshman year 1978(maybe even the first couple of days). We lived on the same floor of Wigen Hall - which if I remember correctly - was the first dorm with coed floors. Mark is a couple years older, so of course, he was checking out the new girls in the dorm.
A few weeks later, Mark drove me home to meet my boyfriend in Milwaukee - but I never made it to that date. We've been married for 26 years and have 2 beautiful daughters, one graduating from LaCrosse and one heading off to college next fall.
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John Murphy ('81) and Sheila Crawford Murphy ('80)John and I have been married for 26 years and have 2 sons. Stout was a magical place back in the late ‘70’s. I was a bartender at the Marian Hotel, which was the “hot spot” in town. I used to serve elephant beers to my then boyfriend (husband) and he would play harmonica with the bands that performed there. We were the “perfect couple” we were told and I agree. (Sheila + John forever)
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Richard Roman Jr. ('81) and Susan Mark Roman ('80)Our friend, Scott, introduced us at an Amway meeting. Scott told Rick he was taking him to meet his future wife and Rick told him “no way!” We met and parted that evening, not to meet again for about 2 months. When we met the second time it was at TJ’s in Downsville and the rest is history. We hit 25 years this coming May.
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Fred Valfer ('81) and Kathleen Johnson Valfer ('81)Same story as everyone else-we met in a bar uptown- The Spot!
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Bryan Buske ('82) and Laurie Wilke Buske ('83)We met at a Pat McCurdy concert at my friends convinced Laurie to join the concert committee with us. Music became our first discussion points and we began to meet each others friends. We married after Laurie graduated (and also two of our best friends a few years later). I work in the entertainment industry and at our first anniversary we were seated at an awards show with Pat McCurdy, who remains a friend of ours today!
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William Groh ('82) and Mary Kreibich Groh ('81)Bill and I met at an Antrim/ Froggatt Hall dorm social. We became close pals in a study group for a “process concepts” class. We eloped (really!) and married at the Dunn County Courthouse. Twenty-five years and three daughters later, we’re still “happily ever after!”
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Tom Jenkins ('82) and Barb Guenther Jenkins ('82)In the summer of 1981, before our senior year, we were both working for building services, and attending summer school. Tom was working for maintenance and installing peep holes in each dorm room door. I was on the paint crew, sprucing up dorm rooms, lounges, and laundry rooms. With the summer school community so small, and summer months so relaxed in Menomonie, we had plenty of time to get to know each other. We have wonderful memories of that summer.
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Caren J Frank Husby (BS '83 , MS '86) and Brian M Hsuby ('80)Married in 1989
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Tracy Wolf ('83) and Nancy Haworth Wolf ('81)We had fun at Stout and we’re still having fun. Married 23 years and still in love.
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Trudy A. Massey Brady ('84) and Steve J. Brady ('82)It was back in March 1980, long before the Ipod. I was in Symphonic Singers lead by Patrick Lebergin. On a cold and snowy "spring" day we, the combined choirs, were headed on a yearly tour. It would be my first, I was a freshman. The day was vivid to me, I was crushed and broken hearted. I had ended a long term relationship the day before and was overwhelmed with sadness. It didn't make sense for me to go. I wanted to float away in my tears. I didn't want to walk out into the cold and face a weekend of people that I didn't really know.
...Two of my roommates, Theresa and Patty, emplored me to go. I trudged through the snow and slush in my long, bell shaped, burgundy, polyester skirt and my open toe shoes, no less. ...Into the applied arts bldg, water squishing out of my shoes, I pulled back the heavy door. The room was full of excitement and ca-motion, voices buzzing but wait...oh,... where did you come from? A solo was being sung from the middle of the room. Um-mm I almost choked...a gorgeous voice with face to match. He was tall dark and handsome. He sang with such conviction and I didn't even know what he was saying. All the emotional romance in his voice. All the emotional romance in his voice. I felt like I was being serenaded and he didn't even know me. I determined in my heart at that instant that I was going to get to know him on this tour.
Several hours on the bus, an overnight in Madison, and by the time we got to the state capital he WAS serenading me. He was in the Chamber Singers. They were singing in "the round", the center of the capital while we were up in the balcony. He glanced at me, sang to me, my heart melted and skipped a beat. I felt like Juliet and he was my Romeo.
Last stop, Milwaukee, where we stayed at the beautiful Pfister Hotel. That day we had our first official date to see the King Tut exhibit at the Milwaukee museum. Steve happened to be wearing wooden clogs-I thought they were hot. By accident his "hot clog" hit the bottom of a large glass case that featured "the bust of Nefertiti". A very loud alarm rang through the entire museum - he was so embarrassed, and I was too, but tried very hard not to show it. We waited...for officials to come running to the site. No one came, so we both blushed away timidly from the scene.
....Ending the tour we loaded on the bus back to school. ...It was a fairy tale....a weekend I never wanted to be part of, funny. Steve walked me back to my house. With my sweaty hands and butterflies in my stomach, we said our goodbyes and had our first kiss.
...Needless to say, those were very special days. ...Awh but...the rest is history. It all started in the applied arts bldg choir room at UW Stout.
Gratefully after 25 years Aug 28 2007, along with our two children-Matthew 22 and Kyra 20, 2 black cats, and soon to be grandparents this summer, our life though not perfect, is a happily-ever-after one. A true Stout "blue devil" story.
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Brian Dassow ('86) and Andrea Vanstone Dassow ('86)Brian was my blind date on November 10, 1983 at a 3rd Hansen Party. We continued dating through college. I wasn’t sure about him after the blind date, but my roommate and friends convinced me to see him the next night when he called. He proposed to me at Stout on February 14, 1986. In June of 2007, we will be married 20 years.
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Tim Hughes ('86) and Karen Mickelson Hughes ('85)Surprisingly, Tim and Karen met at a bar! It was St. Patty’s Day and most students departed for spring break. Karen knew Tim liked her because he carried her from place to place. He was subtle that way. We have been together since-madly in love. We’ll celebrate our 20 year wedding anniversary this June. Thank you Stout!
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Brad Kunst ('86) and Ann Woznick Kunst ('86)We met in the spring of 1984. In 1985 we were RAs in Fleming hall during our Junior year and started dating in the fall. We married in 1990 and live in Clear Lake, IA.
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Sue Tessier Bajczyk ('87) and Mike Bajczyk ('86)The TAP was the place to go to start the evening, so it was no surprise that a mutual friend arranged a date for Sue and I to meet there one cold wintry night. Even though we knew of each other through intramural sports and other various campus activities, I knew she was "the one" the first time I saw her, and that night at the TAP the sparks of romance were set in place, where they continue to blaze for almost 19 years and two beautiful daughters later, still glowing strong and bright.
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Eric Balz ('87) and Sarah Urdahl Balz ('87)We met in CKTO dormitory in January of '84 when I enrolled at Stout mid year. I was a “3T boy” and Sarah was a “3K girl.” We saw each other in the common area between the dorms. I was there to study- she was there to gab. Several of the guys from 3rd T that knew Sarah warned me to stay away from her because she was nothing but trouble. Turns out they had tried to date her but were unsuccessful. I had a girlfriend from back home at the time so we never dated- only friends until the summer of '85 when we were both in summer school. I dumped my old girlfriend and we started dating. A couple years later in '87 we both graduated, moved to the Twin Cited and were married in '90. With the exception of a 2-1/2 year detour to North Carolina ('96-’98) we have been in this area and are busy raising two boys, Jarrid and Travis, currently in 5th and 3rd grades.
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Christine H Kraml Betz ('87) and Mark A Betz ('87)Mark and I lived in the same hometown-didn't know each other and went to different high schools. I needed a ride home. Got a ride from Mark's best friend that went to Stout too. We talked about who we knew from other high schools. I got home and my Mom said that she knew Mark's Mom. I went back to school and told Scott that I wanted to meet Mark. We met. Tried to go out but it didn't work out. Graduated and Scott got married to Lisa who also is from Stout. Mark stood up in the wedding and I went. At the wedding, Mark and I hit it off. He asked if we could start our relationship over - the rest is history - we've been married for 17 years.
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Jim Gorecki ('88) and Deana Christenson Gorecki ('91)Our first date was on Febrary 14, 1988. We went to the "Buck" for dinner, then to a movie at the "State", then back to the "Buck". It was snowing, a "snow globe" type of snow. The sidewalks were slippery walking down 3rd Street back toward CKTO, and that gave me a good excuse to hold her hand...I think Cupid shot us with the quill from atop Bowman Hall! Married in Menomonie in 1990, and relocated back to Menomonie in 2003, back to where it all started. Now we have three boys' that make everyday a gift. We couldn't be happier, and this Valentine's day we will be celebrating 19 years together!
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