Our Story
Richard and Dawn Marie first met when they were in the same grade at elementary school in Washington. However, they did not know each other well until their mothers became close.
Dawn Marie’s mother Linda needed piano accompaniment during her audition for the community theater’s production of the Broadway play Annie. A friend mentioned that Gail Arthur was a fabulous pianist and suggested that Linda contact her. Gail gladly assisted, Linda landed the lead role playing Grace Farrell, and they became fast friends.
At the time, Linda and Gail both had four children who were about the same ages, so when the mothers visited, their children played together. Both oldest children, Richard and Dawn Marie gravitated toward one another and led many adventures together.
Within a year, however, Dawn Marie’s family left Washington for California and Illinois and eventually settled in Utah. The Arthurs occasionally visited Utah and always made time to stop by and renew ties.
The thought did not escape Gail and Linda--both intelligent and perceptive women--that their children might get together, could be just what the other needed. Richard and Dawn Marie, however, were determined to make their own decisions, and, to their minds, there was no greater deterrent to trying a relationship than mothers who were interested.
In February of Dawn Marie’s senior year of high school, after more than a year of her bad dating experiences, she accepted her mom’s suggestion that Richard fly down for the Sweetheart dance. He agreed and thoughtfully brought her a giant chocolate Hershey’s kiss for the occasion. She promptly overanalyzed and freaked out about the possible implications and intentions. Still, his coming was a generous gesture, and she appreciated his kindness and good manners.
To their mothers’ disappointment, Richard and Dawn Marie continued to be uninterested in pursuing a relationship with each other. Over the next decade, they each endured a string of frustrating, disheartening, and destructive relationships.
Burnt, a bit broken, and extremely gun-shy, Richard and Dawn Marie reconnected in October 2008. They bonded over MarioKart and began to thrive in an environment of mutual acceptance without demands.
During the next year, Richard and Dawn Marie grew closer together. For Valentine's Day, they baked and decorated sugar cookies and delivered them to family and friends. In May, they went to the touring Broadway production of Wicked, and both of them sang every line.
Dawn Marie introduced Richard to shooting, Shakespeare, and the art of jewelry-making. He shared his love of flavorful foods, Miyazaki and Pixar films, and computer programming. He endured the full 6-hour A&E version of Pride and Prejudice, and she flinched her way through all three seasons of Arrested Development.
Richard and Dawn Marie first held hands on June 23, 2009 and first kissed on October 19, 2009. Though unplanned, the timing satisfied Dawn Marie’s penchant for prime numbers and seemed to be just a little extra positive sign.