Whether they met at Homecoming, still go every year or haven't been since their senior year, UW-Madison Homecoming brings couples together.
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Tom and Pat Jones have only missed one Homecoming weekend in the past 17 years.
""Homecoming has been an annual renewal of friendships,"" Tom said of visiting his college friends that join the festivities each year. The only event that kept the Jones' from attending Homecoming in the past 17 years was a hurricane in Florida, where they currently live.
Not only does returning to UW-Madison's Homecoming strengthen old friendships for alumni, it continues to be something they share.
""Meeting my wife [at UW-Madison] makes everything around the campus part of our common memory,"" Tom said. ""We always enjoy the nostalgia of going back.""
Tom and Pat met in 1970 at a sorority/fraternity function. For their first date, Tom took Pat to the UW Arboretum, a favorite colorful and quiet September spot of his, before grabbing dinner at Gino's on State Street.
""Pat said it was kind of an unusual spot for a date,"" Tom said. ""She enjoyed it enough to go out with me again, and again and again.""
In October of 1973, when they were engaged, Tom remembers that the Homecoming game that year was so cold and rainy that they left the game early to go look at rings at the jewelry store.
Homecoming that year is just one of the many cherished UW-Madison memories for Tom.
""I'm very sentimental about Madison and the UW, as I've been going to Wisconsin football games since my dad (UW class of 1939) took me to my first one when I was 12 years old,"" Tom said.
Tom and Pat's homecoming plans this year include visiting family, watching the parade, going to the football game, walking down Langdon Street for an annual get- together with college friends at his old fraternity house, and a Saturday evening dinner with good friends at the Madison Club.
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This Homecoming weekend, Ruth Gibson's high school class reunion brings her and her husband Bruce in town from Texas to celebrate. Their last homecoming attendance was in 1975, Bruce's senior year.
Bruce and Ruth met in 1974. Bruce's neighbor, himself and several other electrical engineers met for drinks almost every Friday at the Amber Grid when they attended UW-Madison.
""One engineer was married to a nurse who brought other nurses to meet the engineers,"" he said.
After leaving the Amber Grid that night, Bruce and Ruth went to a movie for their first date, and thus began the relationship they will celebrate this Homecoming weekend.
Bruce said before Ruth's reunion Saturday night, their plans are to hang out Friday night at State Street Brats and attend the Badger Huddle Saturday before the game.
""It always brings us back to home and to memories of great times,"" Bruce said about Homecoming. ""Thanks to the Big Ten channel, you are never far away from Wisconsin athletics.""
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Before UW-Madison's 1965 Homecoming, Jack and Linda Teetaert were only acquaintances. Jack was a UW-Madison swimmer and they both knew of each other through the Greek system, but it wasn't until Homecoming that something clicked.
That year, Linda was on the UW-Madison Homecoming Court and Jack was on the UW-Madison Homecoming Committee in charge of the Homecoming Court's special events.
""There was something very attractive about a good-looking athlete who was willing to cater to the whims of five girls, carrying coats and driving us to various events,"" said Linda. ""I knew I had found a winner.""
After becoming a couple that year after Homecoming, Jack asked Linda's dad for permission to marry her by trading his UW athletic jacket for her hand in marriage.
""Both my dad and Jack thought it was a great negotiation,"" said Linda. ""I think it was too because we have three children who all attended UW-Madison.""
Their oldest daughter was also on the Homecoming Committee at UW-Madison.
""Ironically she was in charge of the Homecoming Court,"" said Linda. ""It's history repeating itself.""
Homecoming at UW-Madison is not only special to Linda and Jack, but to their whole family. While their children were growing up, Jack and Linda visited the university many times for their children to see the school and to tell stories about where they met.
""It's always been special for the whole family,"" said Linda. ""We cherish every moment of our time at Madison, especially that Homecoming in the Fall of l965.""
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Beth Johnson has Homecoming to thank for meeting her husband Derek. They were both volunteers on the 1989 Homecoming Committee and met at the Memorial Union during group introductions.
""I thought he was cute and he said something funny when he introduced himself to the group,"" Beth said.
Beth was on the Reception Committee for one year while Derek held positions for three years including being a volunteer at the blood drive and Homecoming Committee Co-Chair his last year.
Their first date was at Picnic Point.
""Although it wasn't love at first sight, I knew after that walk to Picnic Point I wanted to marry someone exactly like Derek,"" Beth said.
Derek proposed on Picnic Point in September 1993 and they were married June 11, 1994.
Beth's favorite Homecoming memory is dancing on the field after the game with Derek that year.
""Even if I hadn't met my future husband on Homecoming Committee, I would still say being on the committee was one of the most fun things I did my entire time as a student at UW-Madison,"" Beth said. ""If I hadn't volunteered for the Homecoming Committee, I wouldn't have ever met my husband.""
Even though they don't have plans to attend this year, Beth and Derek try to go to at least one football game a year. They now create memories at UW-Madison with their two daughters.
""Both our girls love Bucky and just yesterday my younger daughter told me she wants to go the university,"" Beth said.
As a family, they go hiking to Picnic Point, attend women's volleyball games, have ice skated at the Shell, walked in Crazylegs and, of course, always return to the Memorial Union where it all began.
