After Their Parents Kept Them Apart, Couple Finally Get Their Happily Ever After



The unlikely love story of Janice and Prentiss

Even if true love doesn’t exist, some couples just seem to be perfect for one another. Often these couples can go on to live long, happy lives with one another. But sometimes tragedy strikes and they are separated forever. In this heartbreaking story, it seems one man dedicated his life to keeping two young lovers apart. He prevented them from getting married and spending their lives together. Half a century later these college sweethearts found one another again and finally got their happily ever after

They met in college


This is the shocking love story of Janice Rude and Willson Prentiss. The pair met at college in LA, in 1962. After a couple of months together, the two young lovers decided to get married.
They met in college

They knew they wanted to spend their lives together and celebrate their love for one another amongst family and friends.


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Their love story began and ended


Janice and Willson met in the cafeteria, where she was working. For the young and innocent couple, it was love at first sight.
Their love story began and ended

Willson headed to the canteen every day at 6.00 am for breakfast. Janice was delighted to see more and more of this handsome and well-mannered man. Each day they would share long lingering stares and a conversation. Soon these interactions blossomed. They seemed destined to spend their lives together.
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Good Catch


Fraternity boy Prentiss Willson was part of Kappa Sigma. Willson was a smart and ambitious student, studying law. He was determined to gain his degree and make something of himself.
Good Catch

Not only was Prentiss Willson a committed future lawyer, but he was also good looking and charismatic. Janice felt blessed to have found love and companionship with Wilson.


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A Man Of Principle


Willson was set to live a full and successful life. When his fraternity refused to let black student, Gene Grigsby, pledge for the Oxy Chamber, Prentiss voiced his opinion on the matter.
A Man Of Principle

He was a man of principle and strong moral character who always opposed injustice.Prentis was admired by many of his peers, but there was one person whose approval he wouldn’t be able to get.
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True Love


As Willson said of his relationship with Janice in 2013, “I believe we were simply meant to be. I even remember the first time I laid eyes on Janice.”
True Love

The lovestruck pair had no idea that their fateful meeting would take them on an emotionally unexpected 50-year journey.
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Not a chance


“I actually didn’t think I had a chance with her. She was a year ahead of me and just so beautiful.” Little did he know that Janice was falling in love with the law student.
Not a chance

The pair continued seeing each other, slowly developing a secret yet a deep passion for one another. Soon, their feelings were revealed.
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Not what he had in mind


The couple confessed their love for another and after a whirlwind romance, decided to spend their lives together.
Not what he had in mind

When Janice told her father about her plans to marry the young man, he was adamant she end the relationship and cancel the wedding plans. Janice was distraught, she knew she could not go through with a wedding that would cause her father to disown her.
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A father’s explanation


Many years later, Janice explained to AARP Magazine the possible reasons her father was against their relationship. He was a conservative and strict man.
A father’s explanation

Despite his daughter’s desperate pleas, he would not be swayed. He felt that Prentis was unworthy of his young daughter and that she should wait for marriage.
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Thanksgiving Weekend


Theirs truly was a special love story. After mere months together, Janice drove over 150 miles to meet Willson’s parents and spend the weekend with them. Willson was thrilled to introduce the love of his life to his parents and unlike Janice’s father, Willson’s parents encouraged the two to wed.
Thanksgiving Weekend

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Engagement News


Even the local newspapers were thrilled at news of the couple’s engagement. Amidst the support, Janice’s father began to obsess over the relationship. His overprotective nature soon took hold of him. He gave Janice an ultimatum: she had to choose between Willson and her studies.
Engagement News

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A father’s disapproval


Janice’s father did not approve of the engagement. He threatened to cut all financial ties with Janice if she went through with the wedding.
A father’s disapproval

Without her father’s support, Janice would be unable to finish her degree in biology. The lovers were heartbroken. Her father’s disapproval seemed so cruel. They were in love and desperate to commit to each other, would they obey Janice’s father’s wishes?
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She Had To Make A Choice


Janice was forced to choose between her relationship with Willson and her college education and relationship with her father. She had to make a life-changing choice.
She Had To Make A Choice

Her mother supported her in her relationship with Wilson, but her father was determined to do anything to keep the couple apart. She had to make a decision: to pursue her education or set out on her own with Wilson without the love of her father.
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A hard decision


Willson was a good man with a bright future. Janice was confused and distraught by her father’s disapproval. What had angered him? The young university student considered eloping but the thought of losing her father’s respect was too much to bear.
Wilson was a great guy

Instead of planning her dream wedding, she was being forced to walk away from true love. It was one of the hardest decisions she would ever make.
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Love at First Sight


‘Love at first sight’ – this is how Willson described their relationship in a recent interview he gave to Huffington Post.
Love at First Sight

He wanted nothing more than to make Janice his wife, to build a life with the one he loved. But these were conservative times, women were submissive to their father’s wishes.
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A Choice


Janice was torn and distraught. She was committed to her studies. She wanted to gain her own independence, to pursue a career and be released from her rigid father’s grip.
A Choice

She ultimately made her life-changing decision. She decided to give up her own happiness for the happiness of her father.
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Mother’s Help


Janice’s mother refused her husband’s wishes – she believed Willson and Janice belonged together and that their love would prevail.
Mother’s Help

This loving mother pulled out a second mortgage just to help her daughter finish her college degree. She begged Janice to change her mind and talk Willson back.
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Failed Efforts


Sadly, her mother’s support was not enough, Janice’s father still forced her to break off her relationship and cancel the wedding.
Failed Efforts

Her father believed that “Willson was a street boy” and that as Janice’s father he knew better about what was good for her. The young lovers, seemingly destined for one another were eventually torn apart.
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Trying to figure it out


Janice and Willson soon parted ways and although they occasionally saw one another on campus, eventually they never saw one another again.
Trying to figure it out

Years passed and both Willson and Janice continued to forge their own life paths. The lovestruck lovers had come to terms with the fact they would be kept from one another, or so they thought…
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Separate Paths


Despite what Janice’s father had thought about him, Willson went on to become one of the best tax attorneys in San Francisco.
Separate Paths

Janice took over her family business in Nevada, staying close under her father’s thumb. They each made a name for themselves, life continued but they were forever plagued by the loss of their young love.
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Crisis Mode


Both Janice and Willson found new loves. Each married but the relationships appeared to be doomed.

Both marriages ended in bitter divorces. Sadly more tragedy was soon to follow…
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A Little Reminder from 1962


Both Janice and Willson would soon suffer a painful loss: both of their mothers would soon pass. Strangely enough, it was this loss that brought them together again.
A Little Reminder from 1962

As each of them sorted through their mothers’ belonging, they found the newspaper article from 1962. It was their engagement announcement from all those years before.
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The First Attempt


After so many years, the two were suddenly consumed with thoughts of one another. Both Willson and Janice were single again.
The First Attempt

Willson soon became determined to track Janice down. After an in-depth internet search, Willson found Janice’s contact details. Had their connection endured after all this time?
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Nervous Feelings


Willson plucked up his courage to make contact; he asked Janice to brunch. The pair were nervous about the outcome of their story.
Nervous Feelings

Decades had passed, they had pursued different paths and grown so much since their years together. Could destiny bring them back together again?
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Reunited


After 35 years, Janice and Willson were reunited. Thanks to their mothers, from beyond the grave they had helped their children to finally find love.

Wilson said, “The mothers got it. The mothers simply knew, and I think we also knew”.
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The First Date


Their first date was in San Francisco’s Cliff House. She was wearing the same color dress she wore for Thanksgiving in 1961.
The First Date

Willson was overcome with emotion when he saw Janice. Despite their time apart, their love and passion for one another had survived the years of separation. 6 Months later, the couple was engaged.
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A True Romantic


Wilson had longed for Janice for 35 long and painful years. ”We lament every day that we missed being together. That’s about 17,500 days — but who’s counting?”.
A True Romantic

True love conquers all in the end. Despite the years apart they still had such love for one another and they were determined to make the most of the years they had left.
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The wedding invitation


They used the newspaper cutting from 1962 on their wedding invitations. Their friends and families were overjoyed that the tow had finally reconnected.
The wedding invitation

Finally, the pair could celebrate their enduring love amongst their family and friends and their wedding that they had planned so many years ago could finally take place.
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Finally married


They got married on August 19th, 2012 in the student union at the Occidental College where they had attended college all those years ago.
Finally married

They chose a special location for their big day; the exact place where they first met, all those years before. Their college friends were all in attendance as they exchanged vows.


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Happily Ever After


Janice and Willson now live in Napa Valley and enjoy relish minute of their time together. They said in an interview, “We feel like we’re 18 again.”
Happily Ever After

This is one love story that ended with an unlikely and beautiful reunion. Even though Janice’s father had torn the lovers apart, they still managed to find one another again and got their happily ever after. It just goes to show that nothing can stop true love.