The tale of two young lovers illustrates the bond between our Incredible Seniors, Joan Riccio and Doug Wiedman. Hailing from New Jersey, they grew up in the same neighborhood, attending the same elementary school and spending time with local friends on hikes, roller-skating, and watching movies. When high school came, Joan enrolled in a girls’ school called St. Vincent’s Academy, while Doug went to Bloomfield High School. At that point, his family moved to her street, and they became close companions. Doug escorted her to all her school dances, including the Junior Prom, and she cheered him on at his football games.
Their relationship took a turn after they graduated high school. Doug was drafted into the Army, where he served for two years, before going to Farleigh Dickenson, while Joan went to Washington Secretarial School. Joan got a job as an office manager at an insurance firm, and Doug worked in property management, eventually becoming an assistant tax assessor. Both of them married others they met during this time; Joan had three children, and Doug also had three. They lost sight of each other for 42 years. Despite living just one town apart, they never interacted, as their children attended different schools and churches. In 1986, Doug’s wife passed away, and Joan’s husband died in 1992.
By chance, a cousin of Joan’s worked at a church that Doug attended. She gave Doug Joan’s phone number, and as Joan says, “the rest is history.” They tied the knot in 1996 and later retired, moving to Port Orange, Florida. Their families merged, resulting in 12 grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and one on the way. They thrive in Florida, building friendships and meeting up for lunch with people before the pandemic hit. They also joined various senior groups like Sociable Seniors at their church, Sensational Seniors, and OurSeniors.net. These organizations enabled them to connect with many others and travel to several destinations. They have explored places like Europe, Hawaii, Alaska, the Caribbean, Mexico, Panama, and numerous U.S. states. In their downtime at home, Doug likes working on jigsaw puzzles, while Joan enjoys reading, knitting, and crocheting.
They are convinced that God has a purpose for everyone and that their reunion at the right moment was His doing. It was a period when they both needed support after losing their partners. Joan wants other seniors to understand that “life is unpredictable, so it is vital to live each day to its maximum and to never lose hope.” She and Doug have been happily married for 29 years and are both 91 years young.
