Alumni Feature: Met my Mate at Lipscomb
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The Craigs
Richard and Jan Craig married on June 10, 1956, only a week after their graduation.
"As a freshman I remember him coming in the dorm to pick up another girl," says Jan. "I lived in the Home Economics house, and one of the other girls asked me to invite him over. I was the hostess, and that was the way we did things. So I did, and he came in and helped us do the dishes after dinner."
The next year they participated in Choristers together. The relationship finally blossomed in their senior year.
"He was just so cute," says Jan.
"And she was just so sophisticated and wonderful - I just couldn't resist her," says Richard.
Since he was from Florida and she was from Arkansas, they settled on living in Georgia. Later they moved to Nashville.
Richard has recently retired from his printing business and Jan has just started a job at Lipscomb.
Each of their three children ended up going to Lipscomb, too. Richard Craig Jr. graduated in 1981; Bari (Craig) Harwell graduated in 1984; Brent Craig attended from 1985-1986.
Richard says that the key to a successful marriage is communication. Jan insists it's deciding it'll be a fun ride.
The Millers
Clyde ('46 and '48) and Frances (Tyree) ('46) Miller recall very vividly the day they met.
"We were in biology class, and she pretended not to know how to dissect a frog so she could get my attention," Clyde said. "It worked."
"That was in 1944," Frances said. "We got married Aug. 23, 1946."
They have four children, seven grandchildren, and almost seven great-grandchildren - one is on the way.
Clyde was a minister for 19 years before coming to Lipscomb to teach Bible and Hebrew in 1967. He retired in 1992, and was honored during Homecoming as the Distinguished Alumnus for the College of Bible and Ministry.
Frances worked as a teacher's aide at David Lipscomb Elementary School until she retired.
The two believe that a happy marriage is possible if both partners are wiling to work hard at it and if they both believe what the Lord had to say about the matter.
The Cochranes
Mike ('78) and Rita (Cato) ('79) Cochrane met and fell in love in the 9th grade math class at David Lipscomb Campus School.
Rita says their class was seated alphabetically and that Mike ended up sitting right behind her.
"I wasn't good at math," Rita said. "He started helping me, and he's been helping me ever since."
"I think I helped her with all of her math and science classes in college, too," Mike said. "The neat thing is that she teaches math and science now."
Rita is a fifth grade teacher at the campus school.
Mike, who was in the pre-engineering program at Lipscomb, went on to graduate from Vanderbilt.
The couple has three children - one that just graduated from Lipscomb in December, another who is a sophomore at Lipscomb and a third who is freshman at David Lipscomb High School.
"We gave our kids a choice of where they wanted to attend school, and they chose here," Rita said. "This is where I always wanted them to be."
Mike and Rita say that sharing a faith in God, staying close and remaining best friends is what has made their marriage so enjoyable.
And here's a story for a future "Met my Mate" reunion ...