OMAHA — Alyce Roggenbach remembers the then Judy Latoza calling her last summer and saying: “I think I’m in love.â€
The Omaha woman had reconnected with her high school sweetheart, Mike Allen, after 65 years. The Holy Name graduates talked for hours.
Mike felt the same as Judy, and earlier this month, they were married in front of about 140 guests at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church. All four of Judy’s attendants were friends from Holy Name, as were two of Mike’s groomsmen.
The two 84-year-olds agree it was a miracle that they found each other again.
“We always tell each other it was God’s plan we get together again,†Mike said.
The two dated in high school at Holy Name, located at Fontenelle Boulevard and Maple Street, after a friend told Mike that Judy liked him.
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They became engaged after graduating in 1958 but drifted apart when Mike joined the Air Force and left for Japan. Their parents weren’t very excited about them marrying so young anyway, Mike said.
Both found others, had children and then recently lost their spouses. Judy had been married to Joe for 60 years and Mike to Dianne for 61.
“We were both lonesome,†Judy said. â€We were really happy when we were together.â€
Their relationship began last June, when another high school classmate called Judy to get her new telephone information for a possible reunion. He said, “Guess who I have on hold on the other line?â€
It was Mike. He called her a few days later from his home in Texas and they became inseparable via phone calls, texts and Facetime. They met in person in August at Judy’s home.
“He came to the door. He stepped inside and we gave each other a big kiss, and we talked and talked,†Judy said. “It was really a wonderful reunion.â€
On a visit to Texas a few months later, Mike asked Judy to hold out her hand and gave her an engagement ring. They decided May 10 sounded like a great day for a wedding.
They were married in the chapel at St. Wenceslaus and had the reception in the hall next door. Mike’s brother, the Rev. Jim Allen, was the officiant. His son Pat was his best man.
“That was a special thing, too,†Mike said. “He wasn’t at my first wedding, but he came to my second one.â€
Two of Judy’s children, Jim Latoza and Jill Herrington, walked her down the aisle in her long silver dress from Dillard’s. She didn’t want to make her bridesmaids buy a special outfit they would never wear again, so they wore black slacks and pastel blouses and jackets.
Roggenbach made both hers and that of Carolyn Sudyka. Lynn Walsh and Jackie McClure were also attendants. Mike’s groomsmen were Bob Gehrman, John Searl and Don McClure. Gehrman and Searl were Mike’s classmates.
“It was a fairytale wedding,†Roggenbach said. “It’s such a happy little love story.â€
The couple plans to split their time between here and Texas. Their kids have adjusted to the new person in their parent’s life, and the pair said both families were wonderful helping with the wedding.
Mike said it’s great to be back living in Omaha. They want to take advantage of every minute they have together.
“I think we’re going to enjoy life a whole lot,†Judy said.