How They Met: Pat and Donna Francher

Donna and Pat Francher on vacation in Saint John, New Brunswick, in 1981.

We met during rehearsals for the high school play. I was a senior, she a sophomore. First date was on Valentine’s Day at the High School Winter Weekend.

It didn’t go well.

Persistence (on both parts) kept it rolling. I proposed while I was in the hospital recovering from knee surgery. Donna contends it was the drugs that made me ask, but she said yes anyway. We married the year after we both finished college.

Been through times of no money, job issues, career changes, relocating from Syracuse to Connecticut to Philly, some heavy-duty medical and surgical issues...but, to paraphrase Elton John, “(We’re) still standing.”

I refer to Donna as my girlfriend, she calls me her boyfriend. Anything else would mean we were “getting serious”!!

2/14/20 marks the 50th anniversary of that first date.

Man, did I luck out.

Love you more, Donna Marie!

— Pat Francher