Donna & Wayne Keeton’s Story

“We first met at a pep rally in the fall of our freshman year. Donna was dating a friend of mine and he and her were with me during the pep rally. I remember thinking how cute she was. Super blonde hair in a short bob cut and a cool style I had not seen with other girls. I believe I was a little too boisterous for her. I was fired up, we were playing MoCo. Lol. Donna’s impression of when we met: I first noticed his hair, he had a mullet, and rocked it. However, being the introverted, shy and quiet girl that I was, I was taken back by the extroverted, loud, energetic boy that was sitting with us that day chanting all of the cheers getting everyone excited for the ballgame. I couldn’t quite share the same enthusiasm that he had.

We met after the game at a dance and began talking. About a month later we started “dating”. It lasted like 12 days, likely due to our different personalities at the time. But, we remained cordial even becoming friends. As the year progressed we became really good friends. Mostly talking on the phone because we didn’t have any classes together.  

The summer before our sophomore year we really started having marathon conversations on the phone. Talking about things like music, who do you like, and our upcoming school year.  In September of our sophomore year I got tickets to see Van Halen with two other friends of mine. A couple days before the concert I called our local radio station 100.1 WFMI and was the correct caller for floor tickets to Van Halen.

I wrote a letter that night to give Donna the next day. Asking her if she wanted to go with me. Thankfully she said yes. I ditched my buddies and my ticket with them went unused. Although not officially dating this would be our first date. I still remember it pretty vividly. I really think this was the evening that kinda told us both hey, let’s give this dating thing another shot. On October 4, 1988 we started dating and have been together ever since.

We got married on May 4th, 1996. Our precious daughter was born in March of 2000. It’s been a whirlwind and it’s amazing how quick time has gone. 

As far as tips for sustaining a long happy relationship I have a few ideas. I think the one thing that you have to realize is that times aren’t always perfect. That’s okay because adversity builds resilience. You get through the hard times together and you realize that the other person is there with you lock step taking the journey.

Donna’s advice for a happy marriage: Compromise is key. Understanding and allowing your partner to be their true self. Wayne gets recharged by being in a room full of people and loves to be on the go. Me, not so much. I enjoy my quiet days at home, reading or watching mindless TV shows. Allow for time to recharge as needed but also make the sacrifice to get out of your comfort zone and join them.

The one thing I really cherish is she’s still my best friend! Nearly 36 years after we first met and became friends. We try to do things together we both enjoy. We go camping, kayaking, and biking. We love working on our new house together making it our home. We love live music and traveling to concerts. We are also just as content having a Netflix night just chilling at home in front of a warm fire. That’s us, compromising.”