Randy: While we were in my car leaving the second formal, I first proposed to Colleen, “Will you marry me?” Colleen replied that she was not saying “No”, but now was not the right time. I definitely had some growing to do. Colleen invited me to various sorority parties and formals between December of 1976 and Spring of 1978. I remember again telling her that I loved her and wanted to marry her, but she still was not ready to say yes.

Colleen: We don’t remember exactly when we met each other’s parents. Randy thinks that he met my dad when he came to KSU for a father/daughter (Chris) weekend the spring of 1976. Randy visited my home in KC over Christmas break ’76 and met my mom and younger sister and maternal grandmother. The spring semester of 1977, sometime somehow, I went to Wichita and met Randy’s parents and youngest brother. Randy also has a brother that is my same age that attended KSU and whom I had already met. He also has two older sisters, but they were living elsewhere on their own.

The summer of ’77, I rode a Greyhound bus from KC to Wichita to visit Randy for a weekend. We both had summer jobs and visited each other a weekend or two, talked long distance, and wrote a few letters.

Randy: The next school year, Fall ’77, was my senior year. I spent the majority of that year, pretty much like I had always done…. whatever was most important to me. The Lord, and having fun with Colleen, and friends… I had fun with school too, but grades were not a high priority! It was at the beginning of the spring semester of 1978, while having hot cocoa at my apartment after we had been sledding that I again asked Colleen to marry me. This time she said YES! We did not have any definite marriage plans, because Colleen was just finishing her sophomore year, and I was not on schedule to graduate in May of 78 due to not completing or passing everything required for my Music Ed. degree. Colleen’s sister, Chris, was graduating and was engaged, getting married shortly after graduation, and most of my peers were also graduating, or had graduated the previous year.

We had talked with our parents, who were supportive but also knew that we both had college degrees to be completed. At this point, no one else knew of our engagement except our parents and one close friend for each of us. Our wedding was far enough in the future that a specific date would be determined some time down the road. I began preparing to make plans for where I would live the next school year.

The last week of spring semester ’78, Colleen and I went to see a concert at the K-State Union. The group performing was called BRIDGE, and I had a friend (’77 grad) who was playing with them. This was a Christian, professional recording/touring group, and I was excited to see both my friend, and this group (I had listened to some of their first album).

I knew my best friend had spent some time that day with our friend in BRIDGE…. While waiting in line before the concert, my friend in the group came out and saw us in line. He knew we had been dating/together for a couple years, and he asked, “So, what’s the deal now? Are you guys engaged?” Wow! In that split second, my heart stopped. I thought to myself “I really don’t think my best friend would have told him” … I also thought “we’re right here with a number of other friends who are unaware of our engagement…. what’s Colleen going to think? … how should I answer?” I didn’t know how to answer, but stammered with a “Umm, no” … but with a smile and the look on my face like the cat who ate the canary. Then my friend said “Well, BRIDGE usually has a trombone player, but we don’t right now. I’ve been telling the guys in the band that they need to hear this friend of mine from K-State play trombone! So, after the concert, stick around and I’ll introduce you to them.”

That night I did audition for the band leader, and a week later I was asked to join the group. Once again, I thought I had it all figured out… “I’ll travel/perform with them this summer, and then go back to KSU in the fall to finish up my degree.” But the owner of the group said “We usually ask for a full year commitment. I’ll take you, whichever way it needs to be, but I want you to pray about it tonight and let me know tomorrow before we leave.” I went home and told my parents, and my mom said, “You need to go for the whole year!” And she explained her reasons…. And I felt like God was telling me “Honor your father and mother.” Of course, I also talked (phone) with Colleen.

Colleen: I knew that Randy desired to be able to play on the road. I questioned how I would ever fit into that dream. But, I knew this would be a great opportunity and sensed God’s timing. I agreed with his mom that he should join the group for the full year.

Randy: So, I committed to a full year touring with BRIDGE. My friend in the group was assigned to be my roommate for the first few nights I was with the group, and that first night, he told me “I had to ask if you and Colleen were engaged before I was going to tell you about auditioning for the group, because it wouldn’t be a good thing for you to be apart if you and Colleen were engaged.” I then told him the truth.

Colleen: Randy traveled and I continued school, taking full semester loads and receiving a high GPA, being more focused on my studies. We wrote lots of letters, and Randy was the envy of the group; almost always receiving mail at each venue. Randy also racked up a very large “long distance” phone bill.

Randy: BRIDGE played all over the US and some in Canada. Whenever BRIDGE was playing in the area, Colleen would make plans and be there…. and the girls in BRIDGE just loved her. BRIDGE usually got about two weeks off every year around Christmas, so Colleen and I went to Smith’s Jewelry in Manhattan, Kansas, and picked out rings. Dan Smith, owner, was a believer, and knew that I was making a very tiny amount of money. But Dan loved what I was doing, and said “just send me what you can each month.” December of ‘78, we officially announced our engagement.

Colleen: God grew us both in many ways through that year and continued to draw us to each other through Him. Randy left the group in late May of ’79, stayed with his parents and worked two jobs to make some money/pay off debts. We were married, August 12, 1979, at Nall Hills Methodist Church, Overland Park, Kansas. Honeymooned at Beaver Lake, Arkansas, and Branson, Missouri, and set up our first home in Jardine Terrace – married student housing at KSU.

Randy: Colleen had one semester left to complete her Early Childhood degree (cum laude), and I had three semesters of work ahead of me. Colleen graduated at semester and began as a graduate teaching assistant in the Early Childhood Dept.

A&M

The Elopement After Party