Breaking the rules and finding love

Our love story begins at a Dinner Club event in September 2008.

The Dinner Club started as a group of people who enjoy dining that evolved to friendship and now family.

After many months of group dining with the club, Martin invited me to a not-so-great sci-fi movie. After the movie, we went to Starbucks and Martin inquired, “What are you seeking in a relationship?”

I responded, “I’m looking for a husband, not a boyfriend,” therefore, no casual dating, but we can be friends.

No biggie. The Dinner Club rule is members cannot date. It’s Dinner Club not Date Club!

We continued to hang out as friends weekly, then started speaking daily. On one of those weekly dinner hangouts, Martin implied that we were dating.

For clarification, I asked, “Are we dating?”

Martin’s response: “I’m dating you. When you are dating me, let me know.”

Guess what? We continued to date and break the club rule.

About a month later, we were out at dinner, and I kindly informed Martin, “You are my MAN!”

We broke the Dinner Club’s No. 1 rule and began our journey to “I Do.”

With time, we enjoyed speaking with each other and shared similar interests. Our love blossomed through laughs, tears, challenges and blessings. We soon discovered how we would gravitate to each other and, years later, realized we’d rather be together than with anyone else.

So, Martin surprised me exactly one year ago on Valentine’s Day, with the waiter bringing an engagement ring for dessert.

This was truly a surprise because, if you know Martin, you know he is far from typical or cliché.

We tied the knot Sept. 2 in New Orleans surrounded by our dearest family and friends!

Dr. Paula Young Pérez is a pediatrician with Bon Secours St. Mary’s Hospital. Martin Pérez works with a private community-based counseling company.

Chance meeting leads to love and golden anniversary

Who would have thought that a chance meeting in Kennedy Hall, a freshman dorm at Hampton Institute, now Hampton University, would produce a 50-year love story! 

I grew up in Amityville on New York’s Long Island and Willie grew up in Hampton. We were from two different worlds. His childhood friend brought him to the dorm open house to take his mind off his breakup with his high school girlfriend.

We still laugh at his first words to me: “How do I find the highway to your heart?”

That happened to be a popular song at the time. That also should have been my cue to run, but I stayed! 

Falling in love and finding a husband never even entered my mind, but Willie was persistent. He followed me to Long Island during the winter break, braving the New York snowstorms and the Long Island Railroad strike, only to be denied visitation by my overly strict parents. He and a friend slept in the bathtub of an abandoned house overnight until they could get a ride back to the city. That was love!

Willie was drafted into the Army and we were married one year later, in 1968, against much parental objection. He promised to show me the world — and he did! We lived in Texas, Hawaii, Virginia, Germany and Kansas. We also visited many other countries.

During this time, I pursued my nursing career and we were blessed with a son and a daughter. We decided to settle in Richmond after he served 20 years on active duty. We have six grandchildren and one great-grandson. 

Willie’s famous words are, “Fifty years and still in love!”

Some marriages are made in heaven. I know ours was ordained by God. He broke the mold when he made my husband — a true gentleman! 

The naysayers said it wouldn’t last, yet we are still blessed to be in love after 50 years!

Dianna Crudup is a registered nurse at Bon Secours St. Mary’s Hospital. Willie Crudup is a retired Army bandsman.

From Bible study to nightclub, friendship blossoms into love

Our love story began on a Wednesday evening in July 1988. We first met as college students at a Bible study at a professor’s home in Blacksburg. At the conclusion of the Bible study, we briefly introduced ourselves, exchanged pleasantries and promptly departed separately with our respective friends. We didn’t exchange numbers or any contact information.

But later that same evening, we each decided to join another set of friends attending a party at Crickets, a local nightclub in downtown Blacksburg. When we first saw each other at the nightclub, we both shared the same thought: “What type of person goes to a Bible study with one set of friends and then goes to a nightclub with another set of friends on the same evening?”

We both paused and thought, “Well, we might have something in common.”

Throughout an unimpressive evening at the nightclub, we quickly concluded that there wasn’t any chance for a romantic relationship, but we could possibly be good friends. And that was the beginning of a great friendship.

For the next three years, we remained great advice-givers, close confidantes and just really good friends. We did a lot together as just friends. We studied, hung out with friends, shared our dreams, partied and even went on double dates.

Then in November 1991, we were both single. And at the risk of ruining a perfectly good friendship, we took the chance and decided to go on a date with each other.

It was an interesting process, dating such a close friend, a person who already knew most of your secrets, your quirks and even your pick-up lines.

Our strong friendship soon turned into strong love. We became engaged on May 30, 1992, and we were married on June 12, 1993. We’re delighted and blessed to be celebrating more than 25 years of a great marriage and even more years of a truly wonderful friendship. While it wasn’t love at first sight, it has definitely been the love of a lifetime.

Dr. Susan T. Gooden is interim dean and professor at the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University. Dr. Basil I. Gooden, a former state secretary of agriculture and forestry, is a community and economic development consultant.

Guided to love

People often say we have a “glow” about us. We smile and thank them for their kindness. We are having way too much fun to ponder if we are actually glowing or not. We’ve just decided to be happy, and that works for us.  

We first met at the home of Drs. Monroe and Jill Bussey Harris. They were hosting a UNCF leadership meeting to help raise money for college scholarships. The group met monthly.  

Knowing that BK was new to Richmond, Jackie introduced herself and offered assistance with BK getting to know the city. We exchanged business cards and barely talked again until the next meeting.  

We became fast friends. She had a way with directions and became a personal GPS for BK.  

One night, they were planning to connect. But as they were driving to meet one another, their cellphone call dropped in mid conversation. Not knowing where she was and starting to worry a bit, BK asked God if it was “OK” to be with her. He felt he was falling in love.  

“TURN LEFT” was the clear answer that came back to him.  

BK made the immediate next left turn and found Jackie in the dark. She had pulled into a gas station to plug in her phone so she could call him.  

Jackie never found a plug for her phone, but BK found her. From that point to now, they have been inseparable.

On Jan. 1, we celebrated our fifth wedding anniversary.

Jackie Stone is a partner at the law firm of McGuireWoods. BK Fulton is chairman and chief executive officer of Soulidifly Productions.