A story of two childhood sweethearts defines the relationship between our Amazing Seniors, Joan Riccio and Doug Wiedman. Originally from New Jersey, the two lived in the same neighborhood, going to the same grammar school and hanging out with a group of neighborhood kids going on hikes, roller-skating and going to the movies. During high school, both Joan and Doug attended different high schools, hers being an all-girls school named St. Vincent’s Academy and he went to Bloomfield High School. At that time, his family moved to the same block as hers, making them close friends. He took her to all her school dances including the Junior Prom and she attended his football games. Things changed for them once high school ended. He was drafted into the Army, served for two years and later attended Farleigh Dickenson while she attended Washington Secretarial School. Joan became an office manager for an insurance company and Doug was in property management and later an assistant tax assessor. They both got married to people they met along the way and Joan had three children and Doug had three children. They never saw each other for 42 years. While they lived only two towns away, they never crossed paths and their children went to different schools and churches. In 1986, Doug’s wife passed away and in 1992, Joan’s husband passed away. As fate would have it, a cousin of Joan’s worked at a church that Doug was attending. She decided to give him Joan’s phone number and “the rest is history,” says Joan. They were married in 1996 and retired from their jobs to move to Port Orange, Florida. Their families joined and together they have 12 grandchildren and four great grandchildren. They enjoy their lives in Florida and have made many friends that they would see and get together with for lunch before the pandemic. They are also a part of different senior groups such as Sociable Seniors at their church, Sensational Seniors and OurSeniors. These groups have allowed them to meet many different people and even travel to different places. They have been to Europe, Hawaii, Alaska, the Caribbean, Mexico, Panama and a bunch of U.S. states. During their free time at home, Doug enjoys jigsaw puzzles and Joan enjoys reading, knitting, and crocheting. They believe that God has a plan for everyone and getting them together at the right time was His work. It was a time when they needed someone there for them after losing their spouses. Joan wants other seniors to know that “no one knows what life has in store, so it’s important to just live each day to its fullest and never give up.” She and Doug have been married for 25 years and are both 87 years old.
