UMW is counting down to Valentine’s Day with a series of Mary Washington love stories.
A traditional proposal. An untraditional route to love and marriage. Forty-six years later, President and Mrs. Hurley have no regrets.
How did it start?
As friends – Rick and Rose attended neighboring New Jersey high schools and met through local high school dances.
When did the sparks happen?
At a party – Rose was still in high school and Rick was on leave from his Army tour in Germany. Rose was on a date that night, but that didn’t stop Rick from asking if he could pick her up from school the next day. They spent every day between then and his next tour together.
How did he propose?
Rick returned from Vietnam and took Rose out to dinner. The wait staff brought out a heart-shaped cake with sparklers and the ring box on top. Of course she said “yes!” They married seven months later.
What do they like doing together?
Boating and cooking. For years, the couple owned a boat and spent time on the water with friends and family. Today, they love being in the kitchen together – cooking everything from chicken potpie to apple strudel.
Would they change anything?
Yes – they’d take the traditional route, with a longer engagement and college educations before kids. But, they have no regrets.
This story is completely inappropriate for a University website. It is an abuse of public space as it has nothing to do with the professional activity of the University. Moreover, it lauds heterosexist, traditional marriage in way that is inappropriate for a public university.
Is this serious? Are you really this offended by an article that you feel the need to whine in hopes that you’ll receive some sort of attention?
So much for “Our Community Values” that most of us promote and live by at UMW. What better way to promote that statement than on the front page of our website. Congratulations President and Mrs. Hurley on 45 years!
So much for “Our Community Values” that most of us promote and live by at UMW. What better way to promote that statement than on the front page of our website. Congratulations President and Mrs. Hurley on 46 years!
Its so heart warming to see a University President as a real person and share his personal feelings for the partner he loves. Its truly an example of love, family and the values we all cherish in this country that allows us all to share and rejoice in who we are and how we feel…..openly. Thank you President Hurley for sharing your love of your wife with us, your UMW Family!
I think it’s a charming account of a happy relationship in our midst — never a bad thing.
Love to see a university president that doesn’t take himself too seriously. Thanks for sharing a heart-warming story about the leader of an excellent university and his partner in life.
This is such a heartwarming story. Thank you for sharing your story with your UMW family President and Mrs. Hurley!