Joseph Falese '78, '84 and Kristen Falese '88

Kristen and I met 26 years ago as we were both working here at Lewis. I was the Dean of Students back then and Kristen was working in Human Resources. We married the following year and have been blessed with a  terrific marriage for nearly 25 years. We are both Lewis alums and are the very proud parents of two wonderful daughters; Elena and Maria. Elena completed graduate school here at Lewis and Maria is currently a junior in high school and is considering on enrolling here at Lewis in the Fall of 2011. The Falese family has been truly blessed by a wonderful relationship with Lewis University that dates back to 1974.

Bill Heiden '84 and Barbara (Ludtke) Heiden '87

Barb and I met in the fall of 1983. We were both in Student Government. She was a nursing major and I was a biology major who also worked in the biology department. Our first date was to see the "Young Sounds" a musical performance at the Philip Lynch Theatre. We continued dating after I graduated and while Barb continued in school. I traveled to school almost every weekend to see her and sometimes during the week for different events like basketball games. In the Summer of 1985, we were engaged before Barb's junior year and got married in May 1988. We have known each other in friendship and love for over 26 years, and been married almost 22 years. We live in Huntley IL and have two great children Matt 17 and Katie 12. We have great memories of Lewis basketball games, dances, the Flyers Den and how it brought us together.

Dan Radz '84 and Karen (Jagodzinski) Radz '83

Karen (Jagodzinski) Radz '83, and Dan Radz '84, met while attending Lewis. Dan was a Math major and played soccer for the men's soccer team and Karen was a Nursing student. She says, "We met when my roommate, one night, wanted to go find her fiance walking about the campus grounds. My roommate asked me to go to try and find him with her. When we searched for him, we found him walking with another young man (Dan) near the airport runway there at Lewis. My roommate found her fiance, while, for the very first time, I met Dan on the Lewis University airport runway. He asked me out a few weeks later and it's been love ever since. We were married on October 26, 1984. This past October, we celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary. God is blessing us with a wonderful marriage and two beautiful children, Kaitlyn and Danny, Jr. We reside in Frankfort, Illinois."

Ted Slowik '87 and Jo Ellen (Dahlberg) Slowik '88

Ted Slowik sent us this love story, which began on Valentine's Day 29 years ago - and even included a wedding in the Chapel here on campus! His wife, Jo, manages the Philip Lynch Theatre here on campus.

"Jo and I went on our first date on Valentine's Day 1984. It was Lewis' Homecoming at the St. George Serbian Center in Joliet. We dated throughout our undergrad years. We married in 1990 in the Lewis Chapel, and the reception was in the cafeteria. The decorations were so awesome, you'd never know it was the dining hall! We've been married 22 years. Jo manages the Philip Lynch Theatre on campus and teaches theatre classes. We have the most wonderful memories of Lewis, and  our two children Hannah and Noah have both been involved in productions at the theatre. We look forward to Lewis being part of many more happy years together."

Ken Velasquez '88 and Becky (Aharrah) Velasquez '88

Ken was a basketball player and I was a cheerleader. We met in philosophy class my freshman year, his sophomore year. Ken and his teammate, Wayne, would try to talk to me - they also borrowed my Cubs pencil, which I never got back. At the time, I had a boyfriend, but that changed by next year and we were together off and on. By senior year, we were on, and we had many nights at the Den. On our ten year anniversary, he bought me a new Cubs pencil - along with an anniversary ring! We have three kids, Logan (13), Hayley (9), and Cameron (6). We still attend Lewis basketball games when we can.