THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2004
HOMECOMING
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
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Robert R. Gunn and Gwen Gupton, couple on left, and Barbara Ackerman and Milton Fadler at the Alpha Chi Spring formal, April 23, 1949. Gunn and Gupton married. Their daughter Gena met Steve Dillard (both above right) at the University of Kansas. They married on April 8, 1978.
Love and marriage, Jayhawk style
BV PAGE BLAIR
correspondent@kansan.com
KANSAN CORRESPONDENT
Your soul mate, partner or future spouse, may be just the around the corner. These four couples met at the University of Kansas and have been together ever since. Perhaps you'll meet your "happily ever after" here, Jayhawk style.
Prince and Princess Charming
Melissa and Randy Rolston are self-described, "story book KU sweethearts." Randy had not intended to take an art history class, but with his counselor's encouragement, he ended up in a most life-altering class. He arrived late and sat down next to his future wife, Melissa, and has since been eternally grateful. Their instant crush elevated into flirtacious pen fights, smiles and winks. The class traveled upstairs to the second floor
gallery and Randy said he "couldn't keep his eyes off her."
Their official first date was sledding down Potter's Lake on a snow day. Although she was a scholarly sophomore and he was a senior simply appreciating the social aspect of the University, they made it work.
Melissa explained that there were two kinds of couples; best friends, and those with intense chemistry. Although she had dated other people, "Randy, just did it for me," she said.
The Rolstons wed on Oct. 12, 1980, at Danforth Chapel. Melissa put on her bridal gown in the Kansas Union bathroom alongside gagges of sorority girls preparing for a Halloween party. The girls complimented her on her "costume," she said.
Even though their days at the University have long passed, Melissa said she still has a very, very serious crush on this Randy. She fondly remembers their crazy days of streaking through the Campanile.
The Ralstons live in Brookside, Kan., where they run Victorian Trading, a specialty store and mail-order catalog. This week they will be celebrating their 24th wedding anniversary. Their daughter Polly is a freshman at the University, continuing the third generation of av Hawk tradition.
Melissa Rolsten graduated in 1980, B.F.A. with Illustration and English.Randy Rolsten graduated in 1978 with a degree in graphic design.
Continuing a family tradition
Juli Jarvis (formerly Juli Chaney) came to the University expecting to meet her soulmate. Coming from a long stemmed history of KU couples, it seemed only natural. But she didn't expect to meet Paul Jarvis, her future husband, at the fraternity league in the Jaybowl. Juli assumed he already had a girlfriend, but when the two Kansas natives ended up catching the same ride home that night, he definitely did not.
It was a perfect match. She was a sophomore living at a Sigma Kappa house, and he was sophomore living at Sigma Nu. Their first date was at one of her sorority parties. They became permanent dates to endless Greek functions such as the Christmas formals and the White Rose Dance. But Juli also spent hours down at Potter's Lake helping Paul memorizing poetry. In return, he would bring flowers to the house, and takeout from Taco John late at night.
On Aug 2, 1975, they became the third couple in their family to marry fellow KU graduates. Starting back in 1922, Kenneth C. Harris and Fern Koontz married after studying business and education at the University. Their son, William Chaney, continued the tradition by marrying Patricia Harris, on Aug. 27, 1949, the summer after they both graduated. Then there's the third couple, Paul and Juli Jarvis, who currently live in Buffalo Wyo. Their daughter, Sarah Jarvis, is a KU freshman studying aerospace engineering.
Juli graduated from the University in 1975 with a B.A. in personnel anagement. Paul graduated in the same year with a B.A. in classical antiquities and English.
Love in the fast lane
One day he was walking home to Naismith Hall and she pulled up in her Galaxy 500 and offered him a ride. He asked her out, and they became inseparable.
they be like a wimp.
"No matter how many people there are in college, life can be totally lonely until you meet someone you love spending time with," James said. "We fell in love really fast, and still are, I still think she is as beautiful as she was the night I met her at the Taco Grande."
the face Gratitude Ruby and James were married in the December of 1970, a semester before James graduated. During their last 34 years of marriage, they have lived in Colorado, New Mexico, a year in Europe and some time in Florida while James worked at Disney World. Now they live in Wichita and their identical twin sons attend the University.
Ruby graduated from the University in 1970 with a degree in secondary education. James graduated a year later with a degree in business.
History repeats itself
KU sweethearts
Juli and Paul
Jarvis were
married Aug. 2,
1975. Julis's parents,
William and Patricia
Harris (far left)
met at the
University and
married Aug. 27,
1949.
Steve Dillard claimed he saw his future wife, Gena, on campus long before he met her officially. They were formally introduced while he was dropping one of her Alpha Chi Omega sorority sisters off from a date in 1974. This is exactly how her mother, Gwenny Gupton, met her husband, Robert Gunn. They were wed on April 22, 1950, and have been married for 49 years.
Gena and Steve's first date was to a club called The Seventh Spirit at Seventh and Massachusetts streets. They often attended Greek functions a either the Phi Kappa Theta o Alpha Chi Omega houses or the
contributed photo
atre
productions at the Kansas Union. Their wedding was planned around University sporting events, and their schedule still is
They married on April 8, 1978. They live in Wichita, where Gena runs an interior design business. Steve is the vice president of Pickerell Drilling. Co.Both of their children attend the University, but "No romances from them, yet!" Gena said.
Steve graduated from the University in 1974 with a degree in personal management. Gena graduated two years later with a degree in art design and fashion marketing.
— Edited by Steve Schmidt