Dad Made Her Call The Wedding Off, But 50 Years Later, A Note From The Past Changed Everything
Janice Rude and Prentiss Wilson met in college and quickly fell in love. They were shy with each other at first, but a few dates later and these two were completely smitten with each other. Eventually, these college students ended up getting engaged. The two were living in a fairytale until Janice's father forced them to break up.
They weren't happy about it, but they called off the engagement and went their separate ways. Almost half a century later, fate brought them together again, but not in the way you might expect.
It Was A Fairytale Love Story
In the early 1960s, Janice Rude and Prentiss Willson were just two average college students. There was nothing particularly unusual about them. Janice was working towards a biology degree and Prentis was just starting his college education. He was exploring his options academically and exploring the college campus.
These two met each other at the campus cafeteria and it was pretty much love at first sight. They started flirting right away, and they quickly became boyfriend and girlfriend.
It All Began With A Chance Encounter
This chance meeting at the campus cafeteria happened in 1962. Janice was working at the cafeteria at the time, and Prentiss stopped in to get a bite to eat.
Prentiss saw Janice from across the room and he was immediately attracted to her. He started blushing the moment he saw her. It took a lot for him to work up the courage to say something to this girl he was crushing on. Janice also saw Prentiss and thought that he was very handsome.
Prentiss Wilson Before He Met Janice
Prentice Willson came from a pretty wealthy family. His parents expected him to go to college and they had the means to pay for his education. When he first got to Occidental College, Willson joined the Kappa Sigma fraternity as part of his plans for a bright future.
Wilson's parents wanted him to become a lawyer. Prentiss was enrolled in the law program and he was on track to be the head of his fraternity.
Wilson Had A Reputation To Uphold
Prentiss became a known figure at Occidental College. When black student Gene Grigsby wanted to join Kappa Sigma, the national fraternity union wouldn't let him join because of his skin color. Prentiss saw this as an injustice, so he, as president of the fraternity, took Kappa Sigma out of the national fraternity union and made it an independent chapter so that Grigsby could join.
Even though Prentiss was just a freshman, he had a strong sense of character and morality.
More About Janice Rude
Janice and Prentiss both attended Occidental College, but before that, Janice lived in reno, Nevada. Her father always told her that she needed to work hard if she wanted to be successful. Janice respected her father more than any man she'd ever known, and she took his words to heart.
Janice's parents never pushed her to get a higher education, but Janice was determined to make something of herself. For her, being successful meant getting a college degree.
Prentiss Would Wake Up Early To See Janice At The Cafeteria
Janice didn't come from a wealthy family. She had to pay her own way through college, which is why she was working at the cafeteria.
Janice worked at the cafeteria early in the morning before her classes started, so Prentiss would visit Janice at work during her early shifts. He wanted to be the first person in line for breakfast so he could be the first customer that Janice saw every morning. Janice always appreciated seeing a friendly face.
A Crush Turned Into An Epic Romance
These two started off with shy conversations, but eventually, all of that shyness melted away and the pair felt at ease with each other.
"I believe we were simply meant to be. I even remember the first time I laid eyes on Janice," Willson would later reminisce to the press. Janice began to expect Prentiss' morning visits, and when he didn't show up, she would get worried about him. They looked forward to seeing each other every morning.
The Feelings Were Mutual
Willson said his feelings for Janice became so strong that he would head to the cafeteria "every day, at 6:00 am, because I just wanted to see her and have our little early morning exchange," he would later recall.
Unbeknownst to Wilson, Janice was having very similar feelings. She would always try to work at the cereal bar because she knew that was Wilson's favorite breakfast station. Their love was like something out of a romantic comedy.
Janice Motivated Prentiss To Practice Running
Prentiss likes to go on early morning runs to keep up with his fitness while balancing his school and fraternity president responsibilities. Personal fitness was only part of the reason why he was running, though.
What gave him the motivation for these early runs was the hope of seeing Janice later that morning. He would go for a run and then stop into the cafeteria to see Janice. This was going on before Janice and Prentiss even knew each other's names.
Could A Freshman Have A Chance With A Sophomore?
Prentiss had a stellar reputation on campus, and he was clearly a good catch, but he still wasn't confident that he could impress a sophomore girl. He was only a freshman, after all.
"I actually didn't think I had a chance with her. She was a year ahead of me and just so beautiful," he would later recall. Little did this freshman know, that his crush was feeling the same way. Every morning, these two fell deeper in love.
They Went A Whole Month Without Knowing Each Other's Names
After three and a half weeks of wistful glances and casual flirting, Prentiss Willson finally learned his crush's name: Janice Rude. Willson would never forget that name for the rest of his life and hoped that she would learn his name too.
Rude actually learned his name already, when she saw the story in the news of how Willson helped Grigsby pledge into his fraternity. The publicity surrounding Willson's revolutionary act only made Rude fall for him even more. The crush grew so strong that by Thanksgiving break, Rude would do something completely crazy!
They Were Supposed To Have Thanksgiving Dinner Together
Thanksgiving is often students' first break from classes out of the school year. Occidental College hosts a pre-Thanksgiving dinner for all its students as a way for them to get to know each other better before they leave for the break.
Janice Rude was one student who was quite excited for this campus event. She was particularly looking forward to this dinner so that she could get to know Prentiss Willson. She arrived at the campus cafeteria for her shift during the dinner only that time, something was amiss. Prentiss Willson never showed up.
She Searched For Him Everywhere
Janice Rude was so struck by Willson's absence that she needed to find out where he was or if something had happened to him. Luckily, she ran into one of his friends, who told her that he had left campus early to go home and be with his family.
This is when she went to great lengths just to see her crush. Determined, she found out where Willson lived. With his address in hand, she wondered what she should do with it. Should she try to go see him? Or should she just wait and see him after break was over?
She Would Have Followed Him To The Ends Of The Earth
For Janice Rude, the answer was clear. She had fallen for Willson, which is why in the end she decided to go see him. Willson lived 160 miles away from campus in Santa Maria, California. Rude got into her car and drove there on a whim.
For her, the distance was no issue and the three hours it took her to get to Willson's house breezed by. But by the time she arrived in Santa Maria and rolled up to the Willson residence, the weight of what she had just done set in.
What Was Lurking On The Other Side Of The Door
Janice Rude froze at Prentiss Willson's doorstep. She realized she was completely nuts for driving all that way to see someone she only had passing conversations with in the cafeteria. She hadn't even called him to let him know she was coming!
You'd think having that much doubt would just prompt her to walk away at that point. But Rude wasn't going to have driven all that way for nothing! She decided to just knock on the door and see what happened. When it opened, her heart nearly stopped at who she had seen!
Janice Met Prentiss' Whole Family
When Janice Rude knocked on the door of the Willson residence, none other than Prentiss himself answered the door. Rude's heart skipped a beat and Willson was shocked. Ultimately, however, he was pleased that she came all that way to see him.
In fact, he says that he was thinking about her when she happened to knock on his door! What would have been an awkward encounter turned out to be a delight as Willson's parents even invited Rude to join them for Thanksgiving dinner. Everything was working out for the crushes, but it wouldn't last long.
They Got Along Swimmingly
Thankfully, Willson's parents were just as taken with Rude as he was. Willson's mother in particular felt an instant connection with the young woman, which was a huge relief to both of them.
Rude's bold move had worked in her favor. After thanking the Willsons for a lovely dinner, Rude knew not to overstay her welcome and drove the three hours back to campus. A few days later, Willson would return too, but neither of them knew that Thanksgiving night had been a turning point in their blossoming romance. Soon, things were about to change.
This Is What Young Love Looks Like
When Rude and Willson returned to campus following Thanksgiving, everything changed. Their crushes had developed into a full-blown relationship. Those weeks of chatting in the cafeteria for a few minutes had immediately blossomed into a courtship.
The new couple was inseparable and spent all of their free time together. Nothing could come between them. Everyone on campus knew they were together. Whenever people saw Rude and Willson together on campus, the couple was always smiling at each other. The lovebirds felt as if they were meant to be together, which led them to do something crazy.
He Asked Her To Marry Him
Janice Rude and Prentiss Willson were so in love that one day, Willson decided to follow his heart, take the leap, and propose to Rude. The moment Willson got down on one knee, Rude knew she would say yes.
It's crazy what you would do when you're young and in love. After all, they had only known each other for a few short months before deciding to get married. Much of that short period of time was spent merely staring at each other and it had taken weeks before they started talking to each other and even learned each other's names.
A Public Announcement
Prentiss and Rude's engagement was so exciting that it was even announced in the local paper. They couldn't have been happier to be engaged, despite the fact that they only knew each other for a few months before taking the plunge.
The more time they spent together, the more they got to know each other. And the more they learned about each other, the more they fell in love. It seemed that nothing could stand in the way of their young love -- that is, until the following January when Rude's father found out and felt the need to get involved.
Janice's Father Wasn't Thrilled
Mr. Rude wasn't the least bit pleased to discover that his daughter Janice had decided to get engaged. He thought that she was too young and that this was not a wise move, especially while she was in the middle of working toward her degree.
He gave Janice an ultimatum: she would either have to break up with Willson or he would stop helping her pay for her college tuition. Janice's fate was now in her own hands. She was being forced to choose between the two things in her life that she loved the most.
Janice Had To Make Some Big Decisions
Janice Rude was completely flabbergasted by her father's reaction to her engagement. She couldn't afford to go to college on her own, but she had finally found true love. For a while, Rude didn't know what she should do.
Even more awkward, the engagement was already announced in the local paper, so everyone knew. Calling it off would be a social embarrassment. Rude looked at the announcement again and studied the last words: "no date has been set for the wedding." It seemed like a warning at the time, but it was also a sign.
Her Head Versus Her Heart
Rude and Willson were heartbroken by her father's imposition. For Rude, her education was incredibly important to her -- especially since her father had taught her to work hard to be successful. It wasn't like she was just going to give that up.
At the same time, however, she knew she was madly in love with Willson. Anyone who experienced that feeling knows that that isn't just something you can give up. It changes you for the rest of your life. This made the decision even harder, but suddenly, Rude's mother intervened with a solution.
Her Mom Couldn't Help Her
Rude's mother decided to take out a second mortgage on the family home in order to help supplement her daughter's college expenses. This was all done with the hope that her daughter could follow her heart and be with Willson.
Sadly, Rude's mother's efforts were fruitless and it wasn't enough. She was again faced with the decision to follow her dreams or follow her heart. Rude at least had enough sense in her to know that the wise decision was to follow her dreams. As much as it hurt, she called off the engagement and broke up with Willson.
Prentiss Just Didn't Understand
Janice Rude later recalled, "My father forced us apart the following January by refusing to pay my tuition if I didn't 'stop seeing that boy.' Prentiss and I should have taken his mother's advice at the time, which was to elope. I became fearful that Prentiss would be attracted to smarter women if I didn't get a college degree. He did not understand my angst, and so we went our separate ways."
Willson's inability to empathize with Rude was the final nail in the coffin. Rude decided to complete her degree and leave Willson behind. But she would never forget him.
They Went Their Separate Ways
After breaking up, Rude and Willson's lives drifted further apart. After getting her biology degree, Rude went on to run the family business. The Rude family operated a diving board company. Their success was hallmarked by Rude's induction into the USA Diving Association Hall of Fame in Seattle.
For Willson's part, after leaving Occidental College, he moved on to Harvard Law School. Becoming a tax attorney, he moved back to the west coast and settled in the Bay Area. They both had accomplished their career goals. Little did they know, but fate would bring them back together.
They Married Other People
Following the breakup, Rude and Willson would still run into each other on campus, but they acted as friends. Their whirlwind engagement was buried deep in the past. After leaving Occidental College, their lives grew even further apart.
Once they accomplished their career goals, they even went on to marry other people. Forty-seven years later, both of them were divorced yet their paths had never crossed since college. But one day after tragedy struck in both of their lives, they'd make shocking discoveries that would cause their worlds to intertwine once again.
Mother Always Knows Best
Both Rude's and Willson's mothers died within a few short months of each other. They both had to sort through their mothers' belongings and found something that caused all the memories to come back.
Rude and Willson discovered that each of their mothers had kept the couple's engagement announcement from all those years ago. Rude's mother kept it laminated in her purse! Rude and Willson hadn't even thought of each other much since they moved on, but this discovery brought it all back. "The mothers got it. The mothers simply knew, and I think we also knew," they'd recall.
A Happy Reunion
Being reminded of that special time in their lives, Willson decided to reach out to Rude. She agreed to meet him in San Francisco, at a restaurant called Cliff House. June 20, 2010, was the date they reunited.
From the moment she saw Willson for the first time in 47 years, Rude knew that there was still something there. Willson felt the spark too and they pretty much just picked up from where they'd left off. They began dating again for six months before getting engaged for a second time!
A Wedding On Occidental College Campus
This time, there was a date set for the wedding. Janice Rude and Prentiss Willson wasted no time this go-around and got married on August 19, 2012. Their relationship had come full circle, as they decided to get married at the Occidental College campus surrounded by family, friends, and their former classmates.
"We lament every day that we missed being together. That's about 17,500 days – but who's counting?" Rude said in an interview. If there's anything this story will teach you, it's that true love always finds a way. It took almost 50 years, but Rude and Willson found their way back together.
