Bethel alumni were invited to share stories about how they or their parents, grandparents or other family members met while attending Bethel. Names, dates and photos were posted on social media on Valentine’s Day weekend; here are the stories.
Hannah Neufeld ’99 and Willmar Harder ’97; year of wedding: 1998
A girl from California and a boy from Minnesota met in Kansas. Our first date was to the 1995 Bethel Christmas Fest/Winter Frolic. After passing the Mennonite non-cousin test, it has been smooth sailing since! We were married Aug. 22, 1998.
Parents of current student Amos Harder and Elias Harder ’25; Elias met his fiancée, Ellie Bertholf ’24, at Bethel.
Hannah’s parents are Jim Neufeld ’63 and Priscilla (Dick) Neufeld ’64.
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Caryl Smith ’62 and Bob Tieszen ’61; year of wedding: 1962
Bob saw me at the straw vote for John F. Kennedy and whoever was running against him, my freshman year. Sometime later, he called and asked me to go bowling. I’d never been bowling and was somewhat reluctant, and I didn’t know who he was, but I did go and that’s the beginning of our love story. We were married 61 years before he passed away in 2023.
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William “Bill” Schroeder ’52 and Anne Stucky Schroeder ’53; year of wedding: 1951
In 1949, Bill (from Idaho) met Anne (from Inman, Kan.) on a double date, even though they were each paired up with someone else. They were married near Inman on May 1, 1951, and left the next day for Idaho where they lived happily together for 72 years.
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Helen Lepp ’86 and Daniel Friesen ’85; year of wedding: 1986
We met working in the Bethel cafeteria in the winter of 1985 and had a few classes together. Our paths at Bethel overlapped just one semester and, 41 years later, we are still enjoying life together.
Photo: We participated in a snow sculpting symposium at Festival du Voyageur in Winnipeg, Manitoba, a few years ago.
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Tony Graber ’73 and Susan (Schrag) Graber ’73; year of wedding: 1971
In the fall of 1969, I was walking from Goering Hall into the basement of Mem Hall to go to the dining room with my roommate. Across the basement, I saw this cute girl walking in, and I told my roommate: That is the girl I am going to marry! I had no idea who she was, but I soon learned it was Susan Schrag from McPherson, Kan. I kept my eye on her that fall semester and we had our first date Dec. 11 to see a movie in Krehbiel Auditorium, The Mouse That Roared, and we also attended Christmas Fest the next night. We dated through the spring semester of 1970. At the end of the semester, I was signed up to go sell Books on the Bible with the Southwestern Co., “somewhere in the Bible Belt,” for the summer. Sue was going to Bloomington, Ill., to work as a supervisor of Candy Stripers at the Bloomington Hospital for a summer program with Mennonite Voluntary Service. At the end of my sales training, I was told I would be in Bloomington/Normal, Ill., for the summer… Fate or meant to be??!! Sue and I got to see each other every Sunday evening that summer. We dated the next school year and married in the summer of 1971. After 54 wonderful years of marriage, and two sons (Christopher Graber ’00 and Jeffrey Graber ’04) who are BC grads, I guess my prediction was right on!
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Cindy (Voran) Preheim ’88 and Brian Preheim ’85; year of wedding: 1989
Cindy Voran and Brian Preheim met on an Interterm trip to Russia in January 1987. The history trip was led by Keith and Aldine Sprunger, which enticed Brian to take a leave of absence from work in Wichita. The wonderful sights, the people and the frigid temperatures helped to kindle our friendship. After returning, we began dating and were married in 1989. Thirty-six years later we will always hold a special place for Bethel in our hearts.
Parents of Eric Preheim ’16, director of admissions, and Caroline Preheim ’20; Eric met his spouse, Kiley (Varney) Preheim ’18, at Bethel.
Brian’s parents are Marles Preheim ’55 and Norma (Voran) Preheim ’54.
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Four generations
Peter Wiens (Academy 1904) and Agnes Harder Wiens (Academy 1904); year of wedding: 1906
1st generation: Peter and Agnes Harder Wiens. Peter and Agnes came to Bethel from two different Mennonite colonies in Russia (recruited by David Goerz) and met at Bethel in the very early 1900s. They were married Feb. 14, 1906, and spent many years as missionaries in India.
Daniel J. Epp ’39 and Frieda (Wiens) Epp ’40; year of wedding: 1940
2nd generation: Frieda came from India to Bethel and there met Dan, who had hitchhiked from Henderson, Neb., to attend Bethel. They were married Sept. 28, 1940.
Anthony “Tony” Epp ’61 and Dianne (Waltner) Epp ’63; year of wedding: 1964
3rd generation: Anthony R. Epp ’63 and Dianne Waltner Epp ’61 met at Bethel, where they became friends as they co-edited The Collegian.
Alain Epp Weaver ’91 and Sonia Weaver ’91; year of wedding: 1990
4th generation: Alain Epp Weaver ’91 and Sonia Weaver ’91 met at Bethel and were married Dec. 28, 1990.
Rachel Epp Buller ’96 and Timothy Buller ’96; year of wedding: 1995
4th generation: Tim Buller ’96 and Rachel Epp Buller ’96 (currently professor of visual arts and design at Bethel) met at Bethel and were married Dec. 28, 1995.
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Kelson Graber ’95 and Kenna (Frey) Graber ’95; year of wedding: 1996
We met on our first day of Bethel in the cafeteria and became quick friends! Throughout our time at Bethel we experienced many firsts together, like singing in the Concert Choir across the United States and Europe. It was not until our senior year that we started dating and, after getting married, returned to Bethel as the resident directors of the girls’ dorm – what an experience for newlyweds! Bethel not only allowed us to find each other and make lifelong friends, but helped us get started as a married couple in a safe, Christian environment. We were married Nov. 16, 1996.
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Matt Maltsberger ’00 and Tara (Friesen) Maltsberger ’96 year of wedding: 2000
I was still around Bethel after graduating, since I lived in Newton and taught special education in Goessel. I attended some football games and saw this guy come off the field at the Tabor game. His helmet came off, and I knew I was going to meet that guy. And I did! Through mutual friends, still students at Bethel, we met up and the rest is history. Twenty-three years later our twins decided to both attend Bethel, which made our hearts so happy! It’s been great coming back to the place that brought us together and to see our kids love it just as much.
Parents of current students Maddie and Merrick Maltsberger
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Another multi-generational story
Peter R. Schroeder 1912 and Susan Nickel Schroeder 1912; year of wedding: 1910
1st generation: P.R. Schroeder and Susie Nickel graduated in 1912 in Bethel’s first college graduating class.
Ruth Schroeder Koontz ’44 and Elbert Koontz ’41; year of wedding: 1941
2nd generation
All of Elbert and Ruth’s children went to Bethel and married Bethel graduates:
Theodore “Ted” Koontz ’69 and Gayle Gerber Koontz ’69; year of wedding: 1969
3rd generation
Philip Koontz ’70 and Sondra Bandy Koontz ’70; year of wedding: 1970
3rd generation
Richard Koontz ’72 and Barbara Delk Koontz ’72; year of wedding: 1970
3rd generation
Richard and Barbara’s two children went to Bethel and married Bethel graduates:
Matt Koontz ’98 and Jennifer Scott Koontz ’98; year of wedding: 1998
4th generation
Parents of current students Caleb Koontz and Abby Koontz
Nathan Koontz ’99 and Esther (Kratzer) Koontz ’99; year of wedding: 1998
4th generation
In addition to graduating from and finding loving partners at Bethel, Ruth Koontz, Richard Koontz and Sondra Koontz all worked at the college.
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Galen Koehn ’38 and Martha Wiens ’40; year of wedding: 1941
Galen Koehn began his studies at Bethel in 1934. In 1937, he spotted a girl with the curliest hair that he had ever seen and decided that he had to meet her. Her name was Martha Wiens. They began dating at Bethel and were married in 1941, a marriage that lasted 68 years.
Martha is also a descendent of Peter Wiens (Academy 1904) and Agnes Harder Wiens (Academy 1904); see above.
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Kaci Wilson ’20 and Nathan Kroeker ‘19; year of wedding: 2021
Kaci and I met at BC in 2016. We were involved in choir and Woven/Open Road, and we spent a lot of time together during rehearsals and choir tours. We also participated in theater, sharing the stage in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (spring 2017) and Little Women (spring 2019), where our characters ended up married – talk about foreshadowing! After graduating, I joined the BC admissions staff. Kaci worked in admissions for a year, too, before beginning at the KU School of Medicine in 2021. We got married that same year. Roll On!
Nate works in the admissions office at Bethel.
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Kiley (Varney) Preheim ’18 and Eric Preheim ’16; year of wedding: 2019
We met in 2014 at Bethel College and were happily married five years later, in the Bethel College chapel.
Eric’s parents are Brian Preheim ’85 and Cindy (Voran) Preheim ’88, and his grandparents are Marles Preheim ’55 and Norma (Voran) Preheim ’54. Eric is director of admissions at Bethel.
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Chuck Lehrman ’48 and Lois Warkentin Lehrman ’48; year of wedding: 1947
The Bethel love story of our parents, Chuck Lehrman and Lois Warkentin Lehrman, started in 1945 when they met on campus and then married in the chapel in the Administration Building in November 1947. They both quit college at that time and moved to Aberdeen, Idaho, where Chuck had grown up in the Mennonite church. Lois had grown up in Lehigh, Kan., also in the Mennonite church. Chuck later graduated from Colorado State University and became a veterinarian practicing in Rupert and then Buhl, Idaho. Lois worked as a homemaker and bookkeeper and they raised four children. They were married 72 years, until Chuck’s death in 2020 at the age of 92. The pictures were taken in one of their favorite places, in 1946, 2003, 2012 and finally 2016. They spoke fondly of their courtship at Bethel and their years there, and despite having not graduated from Bethel, it always held a very special place in their hearts. One of our mom’s greatest regrets was that she had not finished college – she left two quarters short of having earned her B.A. degree in English literature. She passed away in 2023 at the age of 96.
Photo: Chuck and Lois in front of the Ad Building
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Steve Grantstein ’75 and Jeanette Rinner Grantstein ’75; year of wedding: 1978
Steve Grantstein and Jeanette Rinner Grantstein, both graduates of the Class of 1975, met at Bethel and were married in 1978 at Bethel College Mennonite Church. Steve was from Opa Locka, Fla., and originally came to Bethel to play football. He was intrigued by the cows he saw on the drive to North Newton after getting off the plane from Florida and wondered what he was getting into but wanted the adventure. We started dating our sophomore year and married five years later. We had a great life together until he passed away in 2016, but will be forever grateful that Bethel College brought us together and changed our lives forever!
Jeanette’s parents are Jim Rinner ’51 and Esther (Lehrman) Rinner ’47.
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George Leary ’85 and Jeanette (Voran) Leary ’84; year of wedding: 1985
We met at an audition for the Greek tragedy Antigone. His pick-up line was “A star is born,” which he wrote on a paper I set down while I went up to read the audition. I was smitten!
He ended up as a toga-wearing guard on stage every time I was on stage. Something must have been right, since we’ve been married for almost 41 years now!
Parents of Kevin Leary ’13 and Megan Leary ’14, current Bethel registrar; Kevin met his spouse, Naomi (Graber) Leary ’12, at Bethel. George is director of development at Bethel.
Jeanette’s parents are Myron Voran ’51 and Mildred (Claassen) Voran ’51.
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Courtney (Herzet) ’22 and Robbie Graham ’21; year of wedding: 2023
Robbie and I met on my first day at Bethel in 2018. We were not supposed to be in the same class, but I changed last minute. The rest is history! We ended up getting married in the spring of 2023.
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Sarah (Thompson) ’08 and Peivi Tauiliili II ’07
Peivi and I met in spring 2007, and we both have different versions of how we started dating, but he decided to come back for one more season of football and the rest is history.
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Tara (Goerzen) ’08 and Thomas Cooprider ’08
I transferred to Bethel in the fall of 2007. I had two goals: play ball and graduate. Little did I know that in January, in our BIFL class, I’d meet this really cute guy and he’d propose seven months later. Thank you, Bethel, for introducing me to my love, Thomas Cooprider.
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Bailey (Strausz) ’19 and Ben Carlson ’17; year of wedding: 2019
Much like Josh Booth (see below), this business major in 9C also found love with an education major in 9B, just a few years later, in 2017. Bailey and I were married at Bethel College Mennonite Church in the summer of 2019. The First Lady of Bethel, Deb Gering, was kind enough to let us take wedding photos in their yard and around Goerz House.
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Lori (Finkner) ’03 and Garry Albright ’03; year of wedding: 2003
Garry and I met our freshman year at Bethel in History of Civilization. We dated all four years while we both attended Bethel. He proposed at the end of our junior year and we got married a few months after we graduated. This past summer we celebrated 22 years.
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Jessica Yocum-Mefford ’07 and David Mefford ’08; year of wedding: 2009
Met in 2004. Married in 2009. We had an adventurous first week at Bethel that led to our introduction and ultimate love story.
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Lisa Goering ’95 and Ben Ortiz ’95; year of wedding: 2000
We met our first day on campus – the boy from El Paso looked very out of place! We became fast friends and started dating our sophomore year. The rest is history! Ben Ortiz and Lisa Goering, est. 1991 (married 2000).
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Megan (Dike) ’20 and Jaylen Thompson ’20; year of wedding: 2017
Jaylen and I met in fall 2014, the first day on campus, in Thresher Gym, and never looked back! Both graduated from Bethel College, married in 2017, now have four beautiful children together.
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Marissa (Windish) ’09 and Leslie Branson ’07
Marissa and I met her freshman, my sophomore year during the Week of Welcome. That was 2004 – 22 years, and still the love of love of my life.
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Elissa Berndt Hamill ’99 and Neil Hamill ’99
Neil and I met our freshman year in Chemistry. I convinced him to join Sinfonia, and we still enjoy our monthly date nights at the Omaha Symphony.
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Clare Ann Ruth-Heffelbower ’70 and Duane Ruth-Heffelbower (non-alumnus); year of wedding: 1970
Clare Ann and I met at Bethel Feb. 7, 1967, in a practice room, where a friend introduced us. We went out two days later and have been together since. I’m from Newton and was a high school senior [at the time]. She was a Bethel freshman. She was my senior prom date. Our wedding was in 1970 after her graduation.
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Janie (Becker) ’86 and Charles Schmidt ’80
Met Janie in summer volleyball on the Green, led by maintenance supervisor Steve Krehbiel. I had just graduated and she was in the nursing program. Our oldest, Nicole Schmidt ’10, played volleyball and took her elementary ed degree to Wyoming.
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Beverly Baumgartner ’94 and Joel Ewy ’94; year of wedding: 1995
We met in the cafeteria line when I noticed he drank only from glass glasses rather than the iced tea-stained plastic-ridged tumblers. That February, 1990, I got a Valentine “from Joel,” but I didn’t know which Joel. The next year, 1991, I sent a Valentine to both Joels! Two years later, spring of 1992, I was in Marburg, Germany, with Brethren Colleges Abroad. An unexpected and delightfully weird letter came from “my Joel.” We started dating that fall and married in the fall of 1995, a year after we graduated. Thank you, BC. Thank you, Marty Ward, for helping Joel find my address in Marburg.
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Jennifer Schrag Zaccagni ’91 and Zach Zaccagni (non-alumnus); year of wedding: 1995
Our eyes met (and I was rendered speechless) during a prospective student tour, when I talked to a friend at another table at Newell’s. Upon returning to my table, I threw up my arms and declared, “I’ve just met the man I am going to marry.” Weeks later, his cousin dragged him to a show at Krehbiel Auditorium during the 1989 Fall Fest, and they waited at the stage door for her actor crush (I was the stage manager), resulting in a group outing where we got to know each other. By that spring, we were engaged on the set of A Raisin in the Sun (see photo below), and married in 1995.
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Charlotte (Flaming) Warkentine ’82 and Brian Warkentine ’83
Charlotte Flaming and I met in our History of Civilization class, taught by Keith Sprunger in the spring of 1979. We spent a lot of time “studying” at the old Bethel College library. Our first date was at a campus movie by Woody Allen. I was a nursing student and Charlotte was a social work student.
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Diana (Stout) ’04 and Derek Schutte ’03; year of wedding: 2006
Derek and I were both on the Bethel basketball team, lots of late-night mod study sessions, cheering on the Threshers, then graduation in 2004. We actually were married in 2006 on campus. (In the cafeteria! Fun fact: The [current] men’s basketball coach, Artaz, was our best man.) Our 3-year-old son’s funeral was in Mem Hall. Fast forward, and now one of our little legacy babies plays volleyball at Bethel! Bethel was the start of our journey and continues to be.
Parents of current student Dalaina Schutte
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Annette (Stucky) Epp ’77 and Donald R. Epp ’77; year of wedding: 1977
Donald R. Epp and I met the first week of school in fall 1975. I was taking the sidewalk from Mem Hall to Haury while a group of freshman boys were gathered under a tree along my path. I recognized one of the guys and was planning to start a conversation with “I think my brother Brian Stucky ’75 roomed with your brother Eldon Epp ’73.” As I walked over to him, he looked up and said, “Hey, I think my brother Eldon roomed with your brother Brian.” Uhhh … yeah. I thought we might not have much more to talk about that day, but we did. We married two years later and will celebrate 49 years this summer.
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Samantha (Wilkerson) Silva ’14 and Raul Silva ’16; year of wedding: 2017
Raul and I started dating in the fall of 2014. He claims to have seen me his second week at Bethel after transferring from Garden City Community College, telling his roommate “that’s the girl he was going to marry.” The next two years were spent visiting each other during his busy nursing school schedule and my job. We got married in December 2017, had our son in 2021, and have been traveling full-time for 3.5 years while he works as a travel nurse.
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Kamara (Holsinger) ’96 and Ben Benavides III ’98
It’s hard to look at these photos in front of the fountain at Bethel College and not think about where it all began. We met on this campus, built so many great memories here, and were even married right in front of this very fountain (photo, above). Bethel was truly such a great college to attend. The friendships, experiences and lessons learned there helped shape so much of the journey that followed.
Seeing the then and now side by side is a reminder of how one place can hold so much meaning and how far life can take you from that starting point. Grateful for the foundation, the memories, and everything that began at Bethel.
Photo: Ben and Kamara, selfie with the Friesen fountain on the Green
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Angela Muhuri ’96 and Steve Unruh ’95
Steve and I have been best friends since our days at Bethel. Though we live far from Kansas, Bethel remains a starting point for many of our significant friendships to this day. Many happy memories of sitting around the Green playing Frisbee (him) and me reading; attending convocation and chapel; eating only semi-edible dinners and chatting with friends at the cafeteria; and enjoying many wonderful recitals and concerts. I especially remain grateful for the friendship and support from the International Students Club and the local Newton community who came out to make curry and hang out with us during Fall Fest. Thank you, Bethel, my first home in the USA.
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Louise (Dick) ’61 and Carl Thieszen ’57; year of wedding: 1962
My parents, Carl and Louise (Dick) Thieszen met at Bethel College. Carl graduated from Bethel College in 1957. Following graduation, he taught at Walton, Kan. While teaching, Carl met Louise Dick, while she was completing her B.S. degree in social science at Bethel College. She graduated in 1961 and they married in 1962. They raised three children (Robert ’91, Carol ’91, Sharon ’94), who all attended Bethel. Carl and Louise retired to North Newton, where they were active at the college and Bethel College Mennonite Church. They were married for 58 years. – Sharon Thieszen
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Nancy (Voth) ’75 and Brian Stucky ’75; year of wedding: 1976
My parents Brian and Nancy Stucky met at Bethel. Nancy had a serious boyfriend, Marlo Brandt, who was a mod-mate and good friend of Brian. Marlo tragically died in a motorcycle accident the summer after their sophomore year. After many months of grieving and being in the same friend group, Brian and Nancy finally had their first “date” at an on-campus viewing of the movie Dirty Harry. This October, they will be married 50 years! – Melinda Stucky Hageman ’08
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Mia Loganbill Esau ’22 and Zach Esau ’21; year of wedding: 2022
Zach and I both went to Bethel from Hesston High School. We got married the day after I played my senior night volleyball game (October 2022). The whole wedding party was Bethel grads or current Bethel students. In December 2025, we welcomed our baby boy, Briar, to the family and we often go on walks through campus and attend Bethel basketball games.
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Katelyn (Fatten) ’17 and Kyle Wilson ’19; year of wedding: 2021
Kyle and I met my senior year and his transfer year in interterm/spring semester of 2017. We met in January and started dating in March. He originally came to Bethel to play football but I convinced him to join the track team, since I was already on the team. We got married in February 2021.
Kyle is currently the head track and field coach at Bethel.
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Miranda (Snyder) ’15 and Justin Soriano ’17; year of wedding: 2019
Justin and I met at Bethel in the fall of 2015. He was studying psychology (later switched to social work) while playing football, and I was finishing up nursing. We got engaged in December of 2017, and then had our wedding in June of 2019.
(Engagement photo, above, on Ad Building stairs; wedding photo below)
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Mattison (Hiebner) ’17 and Josh Booth ’16; year of wedding: 2018
Similarly to Miranda and Justin, Mattison and I also met during fall of 2015, and started dating that October. I was a year older, which I’m sure she figured meant I’d be a year wiser and more mature to match her vibe (which she learned was not the case). We were married in 2018 and now have been blessed with two future Threshers. Bethel has been a huge part of our lives and I’m thankful the education major in 9B fell for this business major in 9C.
Josh and Mattison’s wedding invitation (created while Josh was still Bethel’s assistant athletic director for communications)
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Barbara (Thieszen) ’81 and John Thiesen ’82
Barb’s parents are Esther (Klassen) Thieszen ’54 and Harold Thieszen ’51.
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Kaye (Friesen) ’62 and Virgil Penner ’60
I met my love, Kaye Friesen Penner, on the lower steps leading into Memorial Hall, when the person in charge of the Homecoming banquet asked us football players if we had dates to the banquet and I said no. She proceeded to chew me out, and I said, “OK, I’ll ask the first girl I meet.” I turned around and I said to this girl on the first step, “Do you have a date for the banquet?” and she said no. I said, “You do now,” then I went down to dinner and I had to ask people, “Who was that girl I made a date with?” And from that day on the steps of Memorial Hall, for the next 57 years, we enjoyed life together.
