Editor’s Note: For Valentine’s Day, the Daily spoke to married faculty members. Some were high school sweethearts, others lived on the same residence hall floor — one couple met here at Iowa State.

Gene Deisinger, ISU Police Captain

Maureen Deisinger, Greenlee School of Journalism and Mass Communication academic adviser

Married: 13 years

The Deisingers’ story started not long before the couple came to Iowa State. They met while they were both students at the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point, where Gene was the resident assistant on Maureen’s floor.

He was doing his rounds one night when he first caught sight of Maureen.

While Gene didn’t call it love at first sight, he said, “She’s got the most fun, bubbly personality, and I knew right away that I wanted to go out with her.”

For their first date, he took her

to a movie called “The Hitcher,” one he describes as being “God-awful.”

“[The movie was] grotesquely violent, which was only nice because she kept grabbing my arm,” Gene said.

Although he might not have impressed Maureen with his choice of movies on their first date, his smooth moves the second time around won her heart.

“I am just a lover extraordinaire,” Gene said with a laugh, describing the night he and Maureen began exclusively dating.

“It was December 17, 1985. Tuesday night at 7 p.m.,” Gene said, recalling every detail. “I had Kenny Rogers playing on the turntable when she got there,” Gene said, singing a few bars, doing his best Kenny Rogers impression.

Gene said they sat and sipped hot chocolate with schnapps (he insists they were both of age). She laid her head on his shoulder while he tried to work up the nerve to kiss her.

“She told me later that she got a crick in her neck waiting for me to kiss her,” he said.

Gene went on to graduate school at Iowa State, while Maureen finished school in Wisconsin. Despite the distance, they didn’t waste any time when it came to acquainting themselves with some of Iowa State’s traditions.

“The first time I came down to visit, we went campaniling,” Maureen said.

Eventually they got married, and Maureen joined him at Iowa State.

Thirteen years and two children later, they’re both working for Iowa State, which allows them to see each other occasionally on campus.

“It gets harder to get time together,” Maureen said. “But once or twice a month we try to go out for lunch.”

As for Valentine’s Day plans, they haven’t made any yet, Gene said. Usually, they try to celebrate on a different day, to avoid the crowds.

Whatever they end up doing, it will be hard to beat what Maureen describes as the most romantic thing Gene has ever done for her.

“He bought me a cruise without my knowing about it,” she said.

Walt Gmelch, Dean of the Collegeof Education

Paula Gmelch,College of Family and Consumer Sciencesprogram assistant

Married:33 years

Walt and Paula’s love story started long before they had even heard of Iowa State.

“We met in middle school and started dating in high school,” Paula said.

Walt remembers their first date, when Paula asked him to the “girls ask boys” dance.

“She was trying to decide between two guys,” he said.

Although he didn’t know her very well, she ended up asking him.

“I thought her name was Pamela,” Walt said. “I told her I’d have to ask my dad first, because it was his birthday.”

They ended up dating throughout high school but went their separate ways for college. During their senior year of college, they both came home to the old neighborhood and realized they missed being together. They got engaged about a year later.

Since then, they’ve lived all over the United States and in India. It wasn’t until about four years ago that they came to Iowa State.

Walt got offered the job as Dean of the College of Education while they were living in Washington state, and brought Paula with him on one of his visits.

“[I told her], you’re the closer. If you want to come to Iowa, we’re here.” On the plane on the way home, Paula said, “Let’s do it.'”

Both Walt and Paula said being at Iowa State has been a great experience.

“Here, the university blends very well with the community, and we’re both very involved in the community,” Paula said.

Working on the same campus, they try to find time together, but it isn’t always easy with two full schedules.

“We saw each other a lot more in the beginning,” Paula said.

They do share a ride to campus, however.

“She works across the street from me,” Walt said, laughing. “Each morning, we share our 3- to 4-minute commute.”

Walt recalled one of his favorite Valentine’s Day traditions.

“Paula used to make these wonderful, chewy gingersnap cookies and give me a box of them on Valentine’s Day. I always treasured those cookies,” he said.

“[Walt] is much more of a romantic than I am,” Paula said. “[One time] he came to my office on a Friday and kidnapped me and we went to a ski resort for the weekend. He knew my boss, so he could get away with it.”

Walt said he thought that weekend was their most romantic moment, with the year the couple spent in India coming in a close second.

“We’ve known each other since we were fourteen,” Walt said. “We still love being together and traveling together.”

Susan Carlson,Associate Provost

Michael Mendelson, Professor of English

Married:16 years

Susan and Michael are a great example of a love that blossomed right here at Iowa State.

“We had crossed paths between classes in Ross Hall,” Michael said. “Once I sat behind her at a department meeting, when her enormous red permanent made it impossible to see the department chair telling us why we don’t make the same salaries as assistant line-backer coaches.”

Susan came here from the University of Oregon in 1982, while Michael came from somewhere “below the Tropic of Cancer” that same year.

They were married in London during Susan’s research leave in 1986, but they point out that Michael was not her research assistant.

Although they work on the same campus, it’s been a while since they’ve been able to meet for lunch.

“We had lunch once in 1985 at a cafe called the Quaterstove, in the basement of Alumni Hall,” Michael said. “Susan ate my tofu.”

Michael also said he occasionally sees Susan on stage at various events.

Susan recognized the perks that come with both of them working at Iowa State.

“Besides the fact that both of us are covered for early-onset dementia, where else can we park within 100 yards of our office, and have students who almost always read their assignments?” she said.

There is never a dull moment for Susan and Michael.

“For solace and affection, we turn to our elderly [dog] Airedale and our cat, who unfortunately is undergoing anger-management therapy,” Susan said.

Friday nights are the most exciting night of the week at Susan and Michael’s house.

“Every Friday night he invents a new hors d’oeuvres, which he thinks are ‘the best yet,'” Susan said.

Michael said, romance is very much alive in their relationship.

“Every night, she listens to my miseries as if it were our first date,” he said.

As for this year’s Valentine’s Day plans, Susan and Michael are tight-lipped.

They admit they have plans, but “none that we can share in public.”

Labh Hira, Dean of the College of Business

Tahira Hira, Assistant to the President

Married: 27 years

Labh and Tahira met longer than 30 years ago.

“We met at the University of Missouri at Columbia, when we were both pursuing our doctorate degrees,” Labh said.

They knew each other for three years before they really became interested in one another.

“I used to say, ‘Whoever marries him is going to be a very lucky woman,'” Tahira said. “I had no idea it was going to be me.”

Labh moved to Canada while Tahira was still in Missouri. One day, he called her out of the blue and told her he wanted to come back.

“He said he would come back, and we could get married,” she said. “So I said, OK, why don’t you come back?'”

They got married and Tahira was offered a job at Iowa State in 1980.

“Iowa State recruited my wife, and I was fortunate to find a job on campus about two years after she started,” he said.

At the very beginning of their relationship, Tahira told Labh she didn’t want them to have any pressure to do big things for each other on holidays and anniversaries.

“I didn’t want to have us counting on each other to be unhappy or happy [on those days],” Tahira said. “I want every day to be a special day.”

Tahira said she’d rather have his attention when something needs to be done.

“I’d rather have my husband help with the car or take the garbage out,” she said. “I’d rather have his time, understanding.”

They don’t tend to put a big emphasis on holidays, so they don’t really have any plans for Valentine’s Day this year.

Sometimes, even their anniversary goes unnoticed.

They were married on Dec. 20 and one year they flew to Hawaii on that day to visit friends for the holidays.

When they got there, Tahira said they looked at each other and said, “Oh, shoot! Our anniversary!”

They’d spent the day on the plane and forgotten all about it.

Although they sometimes forget to celebrate, Tahira said they’ve had a great life together.

“He is still my best friend,” Tahira said. “I don’t know where the 27 years have gone.”