Kimberley Dean and Ron Palmer dated when they were in high school. She was a freshman. He was a senior. Their relationship didn't work out, but they kept in touch after they broke up. "I wanted to go sow my oats," Ron told The Today Show. "I thought at that young age, girls were a dime a dozen... But we broke up on good terms. We remained friends."
As the years went by, Ron pursued a career as an iron worker, and Kimberley worked for the local district. Ron got married and divorced. Kimberley got married and divorced, plus had two kids. When Ron complained he had no one to leave his inheritance to, Kimberley joked, "Just leave it to me." That's when they decided to make a pact.
Kimberly recalled, "It was a complete joke. We were both single at the time and we were just both fed up with dating and all the craziness that goes with that." Ron explained, "It was something along the lines, since she's 2 1/2 years younger, 'Once you hit 50, if we’re both single, maybe we should try this again.'"
The pact may have started as a joke, but over the years, it grew into serious prospect. In 2016, the couple made another attempt at dating, 37 years after their first fling at teenagers. This time, the relationship worked out. Ron proposed to Kimberley one year later on New Year's Eve.
Kimberley said that when her friends found out, they joked, "It's about dang time!" The couple was close already, that getting married was natural. "We’re like yin and yang. We kind of complete each other. We’ve always been there for each other. He’s consoled me; I’ve consoled him. He’s watched my kiddos grow up."
Ron explained that even when they broke up, they still loved each other. "We started out as friends, we fell in love and we parted as friends, but we still cared for each other. I've always loved her because she's such an awesome friend." Kimberley added that it's better late than never: "Everything you go through to get to here was worth it. I just wish it could have been a little earlier. What can I say? I love him. I’m head over heels."
One June 1, Kimberley, 51, and Ron, 54, finally tied the knot in an outdoor ceremony. Kimberly's daughter was the maid of honor, and her son walked her down the aisle. Ron recalled, "We had a pretty exciting day on Friday. It was awesome." And Kimberley raved, "The day was beautiful; the weather was gorgeous. We were surrounded by friends and family. It was overwhelmingly breathtaking and so full of happiness."
The couple lives in St. Paul, Minnesota. Kimberly's daughter, Kayla, told The Minneapolis Star-Tribune that they were destined to be together. “I would say there’s no better match in the world for either of them. People who are meant to be together will always find each other. It may take 37 years, but it can happen."
Well, this is a pretty sweet story, isn't it? In fact, it inspired me. My co-worker and I just made a pact that if we turn 50 and we're both still single, we're gong to get drunk and ruin someone else's wedding.
