Everyone knows the norms of Valentine’s Day for couples—chocolate covered strawberries, flowers and oversized teddy bears. Nonetheless, a Valentine’s Day newspaper issue would be pointless without a little backstory on one of St. Dominic’s favorite couples.

Mr. Bill and Mrs. Darla Strecker worked together at a community college in Kansas for about six years before they got together. When Mrs. Strecker’s father passed away, she had to notify her supervisor, who happened to be Mr. Strecker at the time. They got to talking and their relationship blossomed from there. Mrs. Strecker sometimes credits her dad for her husband.

“When he died and went to Heaven, he probably thought, ‘Hey, I still have a daughter who doesn’t have a husband…’ and voila—there he was,” said Mrs. Strecker.

The story of the Streckers’ engagement is definitely one for the books. On the evening of March 31, 2003, Mr. Strecker whipped out the ring that would seal the deal. Their immediate family members were aware of the situation, but everyone else found out on April 1—April Fools Day. Common responses to their so-called engagement were, “Haha, yeah right,” or “Good one!”

“For one person in particular, I had to call Darla and put her on the phone—that was the only way he believed that we had gotten engaged,” said Mr. Strecker.

When asked about a favorite date memory, Mr. Strecker didn’t hesitate to respond. One of the very first times he cooked for her, about six to seven dishes were present. He didn’t know exactly what Mrs. Strecker liked to eat, but she definitely had options.

“I could’ve fed Darla, and seven or eight other people,” said Mr. Strecker.

Spending time with your significant other doesn’t always have to be well-planned or extravagant. For the Streckers, joy can be found in simple things like board games, cards, puzzles and a lot of Yahtzee.

“We’re both very competitive, so when we sit down, we both want to win,” said Mrs. Strecker.

Being surrounded by a culture that holds romantic relationships on a high pedestal can put a lot of pressure on our shoulders. In a world where true love is difficult to find, the Streckers have managed to find it.

“You don’t necessarily need to be in a rush. Sometimes, things not going your way isn’t a bad thing. When you find the right person, you’ll know it. It’s different than any other relationship when you find the one you’re supposed to be with,” said Mrs. Strecker.

They wish you the happiest of Valentine’s Days, filled with as much love and chocolate as you can get!