Love Stories. . .

Some started as friends, others fell in love at first sight. But however they began, these love stories are timeless.

I was in the eighth grade in junior high at age 15. My classmate was dating an older fellow already out of school. His 21st birthday was approaching, and his best buddy, who was also going to be 21, needed a date. My friend bugged me to be the buddy's blind date, but because of the age difference I refused. She kept after me, explaining the celebration would be at the family home with the fellow's mother and siblings present. I finally agreed, and it was a mutual "love at first sight" for us both. We married two years later, increased our family with three beautiful children and were together 25 years before I was widowed.

—Marianna De Fina

Westlake Village

It was 3 p.m. on a Sunday afternoon toward the end of January when we met in Palm Springs.

She had beautiful green hypnotic eyes that magnetically captured my attention and fixed my gaze upon her, a straight, strong nose with a tiny clef at the tip; shoulder-length black hair and an olive complexion enhanced this vision even more. All of this I noticed in the first few moments when we met.

We talked until 11 p.m. that Sunday evening, and I asked her to lunch the next day, which lasted well into the evening. We talked about life, family, work, friends and our dreams. I found her to be smart and funny and at 5 feet 1 inch she said, "Good things come in small packages." Finally she returned home on Tuesday, and Tuesday night we spoke for another four hours on the phone.

Wednesday I called my mom, who offered some motherly advice, and only knowing her for two days, I asked her to marry me over the phone. After a pause that lasted a lifetime, she asked for six months to think it over. Feb. 14 will be our 31st Valentine's Day together.

—Gary Sherwin

Westlake Village

I had my heart broken my first senior year at Northern Illinois University and decided to take off for the summer and stay with some friends in Cambridge, Mass. I turned in my $99 airplane ticket and boarded the American Airlines terminal. About 15 minutes into the flight a young man started talking with me, and he asked if it would be okay if he sat next to me. He was going to Boston for his grandma's funeral and was later returning to attend Berklee College of Music. As we waited to obtain our baggage, he asked if he could borrow $5 for a bus ride. He was standing there with this ragged guitar case and asking for money. But the funny thing is, I had this strange sensation that this young man was going to be a big part of my life. I decided to trust the male species again and give him the $5. Three weeks later I received a letter with the money and his phone number in Boston. I called and we discovered we were living one block from each other. We have been together ever since.

—Sandra Ritvo

Oak Park

I was just 13 years old when I got a mad crush "from on far" on this handsome young man that worked at the boat rental dock in Balboa.

It was love at first sight. This "crush" continued every summer until finally we met, and, as fate would have it, Harold was leaving with the Navy at the beginning of the Korean War.

We wrote to each other faithfully the whole time he served overseas.

In February 1952 he finally came home. We were married in November and now just celebrated our 56th wedding anniversary.

It is a love that was meant to be and will last forever.

—Joann Hass

Met the love of my life my senior year in nursing school. He was rolled into my life on a gurney in the operating room. He was the patient; I was the scrub nurse. He was really a handsome young man, and it was truly love at first sight. All he could see of me was my eyes (as I was dressed in operating room gown and mask). Guess it must have been my green eyes that caused him to ask me for a date. I accepted, and we are celebrating our 50th anniversary this year.

—Jan Kirkland

Westlake Village

It was a cold winter night when I first met my wife, Robin, in a parking lot high above the hills of Los Angeles. It was also on a Saturday; the year was 1992, and the date is irrelevant primarily because I do not remember.

What I do recall is that my friend and I paid a visit to a monthly singles dance at our local temple, an event which neither of us had attended in some time. Walking across the pavement, I noticed an old friend among a group of people and approached her. Robin, however, was the only one I remember. The powerful attraction of her innocent beauty and warmth was immanent, and I'm certain that huddling together to stay warm was a selling point for both. Was it love at first sight? I'd like to think so. I called my friend the next day asking about Robin, and as Robin later confessed, she mused about me, too.

We didn't make it into the dance that Saturday night, by the way. It was also the last singles dance which both of us attended.

—Guy Shaham

Oak Park

My husband of 20 years is my knight in shining armor. Loren was that rare, old-fashioned gentleman who opened doors and held out my chair. He won me over on one of our first dates by picking me up at my parent's house and letting my dad check him out. Loren was truly the smartest guy I'd ever met, and we were astonished at how easy it was to talk to each other. The deal was basically sealed from the start when he said he spent a year in France and spoke fluent French. When Loren said he had an MBA from UCLA, my alma mater, I almost fell off my bar stool. He proposed six months later on one knee. Love is grand.

—Donna Rose Houchen

Calabasas

September 1987: I was 29 and a new accountants representative for Home Savings Bank & Loans. Walter was a 19-year-old college student and part-time teller. At that time I was married and pregnant with my first child.

We became good friends. I told him that someday he would make a wonderful husband.

By coincidence, we re-met in 1996, nine years later, in the lobby of Home Savings in Burbank.

I was in the process of a divorce, had two young children and needed a job. Walter was now a manager of Home Savings in Century City. He hired me as his new accounts representative.

We began dating in 1996. He proposed to me in 1999, and we were married that same year.

Say it was destiny that Saturday morning in July 1996 we had both decided to go to that same bank at the same exact time.

We will be celebrating our 10th anniversary this year. Walter is like a father to my children from a previous marriage, and we have a beautiful daughter Makenzie. We are very much in love.

Now we both work at First Bank. I work at the Westlake branch, and Walter is at the Warner Center branch.

—Marsha Bakly

Woodland Hills

Who knew that on June 2, 2007, I would meet my love, my soul mate, my best friend and now my fiance? After a wink and an e-mail on Match.com and a five-minute conversation on the phone, we were meeting for lunch. We actually went to Oak Park High School together and didn't even know each other. Now we are living in Agoura planning our May 2, 2009, wedding in fabulous Las Vegas, where we will walk down the aisle hand in hand as one. I have had many loves in life and many times when I thought I was on top of the world, but knowing that I have someone who truly loves every bit of me and supports me in whatever I do—that's priceless. I am so lucky to have that person with me every day because that is my John. He is my Frosting, and I am the Sprinkles . . . LOL. I love you, John.

—Shannon Farrar

Agoura

It was a chilly February evening nine years ago when my two girlfriends and I stopped in for drinks and karaoke at the Alamo in Newbury Park. In my late 40s, I had all but given up hope on meeting Mr. Suitable let alone Mr. Right but was still enjoying my life. I got up onstage and sang one of my all-time favorite show tune classics—"Summertime." He thought I was very cute but probably way too staid for him, based both on my choice of song and my more conservative appearance. Thankfully my next song was a rocking and rowdy Offspring number—"Pretty Fly for a White Guy." He could not resist, was intrigued by the contrast and knew I must indeed have a wild and crazy side or at least a major sense of humor and fun. The rest is history, and my younger guy and I have been together ever since. I took him to an Offspring concert to celebrate, and "Pretty Fly" is now our song as we would not be together today if it hadn't been for that wild and crazy tune!

—Dorothy Segar

Agoura Hills

There I was . . . in a "crowded room" with my friends. I got a warm feeling and looked up. There he was . . . across the room . . . looking up at me. Big brown eyes, loving gaze. Strangers, yet I felt as if I was home. We started talking and next thing I know, we are married and have two beautiful children. In my heart, I can still see how he looked at me that night. Every time he looks at me that way, I remember our meeting. I am so thankful to have my wonderful husband in my life, and I am so excited to have the rest of my life to share with him. My love . . . My destiny . . .

—Joanna Carnes

Westlake Village

I vividly recall the first day on which I met Kayo Matsumoto, the woman who would eventually become my wife. It was on the evening of Oct. 23, 1993. We were both attending a business networking event. Although I was immediately enamored with this beautiful, intelligent and sophisticated woman, a relationship was not to be, at least not yet. Instead, we became good friends and remained so for nearly 2½ years. During that period, we occasionally got together for lunches and dinners, not really dating but simply socializing as friends.

On the evening of Feb. 17, 1996, we had a very special "first date" that forever and permanently changed our relationship, moving us from good friends to romantic partners. Having already known each other as good friends, we were able to dispense with the usual "getting to know you" rituals often involved in early dating relationships. Our courtship moved quickly, and we were engaged five months later and married almost one year after that. The rest, as they say, is history!

—Mike Thompson

Agoura Hills