When we set out a few weeks ago to find a few “Hingham Love Stories” to share on Valentine’s Day, we started with a simple post on the Hingham Pinboard. Well, turns out – love is really all-around Hingham. We were completely blown away by the number of people that reached out and shared their stories - it made our hearts so full. We hope the stories below warm your heart too. As many people concluded, there must be something in that Hingham Harbor water. Happy Valentine's Day from us to you! Without further ado, we present a tale of a few Hingham Love Stories …
LOVE IS IN THE "AIR"
In 1970, Maureen Curley, from West Bridgewater, MA was an American Airline's stewardess. Daniel Doran, from Boardman, OH was an IBM salesman. Dan had missed his flight and had to take a later plane. As fate would have it, Maureen was his flight attendant. She immediately caught his eye and he found enough courage to ask her on a date. Needless to say, that date went extremely well. After the second one, Maureen accepted his proposal for marriage at The Union Oyster House.
49 happy years (29 of which are in Hingham), two daughters and four grandchildren later, it's safe to say that true love at first sight on a flight does exist.
(submitted by Molly Doran Hall, Hingham resident and daughter of Maureen and Dan)
LOVE SPARKS IN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Esther Cundari and I (Paul Healey) met in 9th grade at Cental Junior High School, now the Hingham Town Hall. We graduated in 1974 from Hingham High School, married in 1977 and are the proud parents of five children and soon to be six grandchildren. We have thoroughly enjoyed our life here in Hingham and both of us have embraced the community we call home. Along the way, we spent over a decade as a policeman, a policeman’s wife, two decades on the planning board, six years on the school committee and now the Board of Selectmen. Our joint commitment to community service has passed on to our children, two of whom serve the nation today. We have seen many changes in the community but continue to believe that Hingham is a great place to call home.
(submitted by Paul Healey, Hingham resident and Chair of the Hingham Board of Selectman)
HINGHAM PROM LEADS TO A LASTING LOVE CONNECTION
Paul and I (Mallory Brady Wuori) met in 2001 when I was a sophomore at Hingham High School, and he was a senior. A mutual friend introduced us, as he was very shy. I couldn’t get over his eyes or his smile. We ended up at his senior prom with different dates, but danced the entire night with each other, exchanged numbers and never looked back! We fell in love immediately, Paul went to Wentworth and I went to Simmons in Boston, we spent a lot of time together in college supporting each other, helping one another, and graduated two years apart. We bought our first house in Kingston when I was 23. We got married February 12, 2010 and honeymooned in Bora Bora! It was one of the best weeks of my life. Rosalita by Bruce Springsteen will forever remind me of those huts over the water. Our first taste of responsibility was our golden retriever Bubba, who’s turning 10 in June. He's been the best big brother possible to our children. In 2012 we welcomed our son Paul, and family life seemed to come very easy to us, we were ecstatic! Paul and I welcomed our daughter Vanesa in 2013. I was teaching at Plymouth River School and we always knew we wanted our kids to go to school in Hingham, starting with Wilder Nursery School because that’s where Paul went (and his dad!), and then PRS. We moved back to Hingham in 2014 and love being back here and raising our family in a town with such charm, beauty and an amazing school system. Both Paul and Vanesa attended Wilder and Vanesa will be joining Paul at PRS in the fall. We welcomed our son Owen in 2016 and our family feels complete. Paul works hard for our family while I’m home with the kids, I would love to be back teaching at PRS one day. We feel very blessed to be so much in love after almost 18 years together. We go out at least every two weeks for dinner with the help from our parents as babysitters. I still think Paul is the most handsome man I’ve ever seen, especially as we grow a little older together, and I try to tell him that as often as I can. I always say I’m thankful to our friend Vanessa for introducing us, Paul still gives me butterflies just like the first time I met him almost 18 years ago! Our current favorite song by Dire Straits says it beautifully, “I can’t do everything but I’ll do anything for you, I can’t do anything except be in love with you.” Happy Valentine’s Day babe, thank you for life we have built together!
(submitted by Mallory Wuori, Hingham resident)
LASTING LOVE AT LINDEN PONDS
My parents Herman and Win Messmer have been married for 58 years. My dad is 89 and is an exercise fanatic, still. He is active in the VFW and Coast Guard Auxiliary and has run the July 4th road race for the last 38 years. My mom is going to be 91 and is still active as well with exercising, knitting, and socializing with her many friends-and course supporting my dad with all his work with VFW and Coast Guard. They moved to Linden Ponds 2 yrs ago from their home in Hingham of 40 years. Through all their struggles and challenges of life they have supported each other always and their love keeps growing every day which amazes me! It is so, so sweet to see them together still in love as the day they met (at a ski club they both joined in NY. It gives me hope for my marriage that my husband and I will still be that happy in our golden years! They have taught me a lot about love.
(submitted by Anne Messmer Dwyer, Hingham resident and daughter of Herm and Win)
The Anchor asked Win what was the secret to their marriage success after all these years and she answered, giggling, “having a good sense of humor.” We also asked if they had Valentine’s plans and Win gladly shared that Herm had already given her a bouquet of flowers (he’s a keeper!) and that they may hit up their favorite date-night spot – Legal C!
A MATCH MADE IN INTERNET HEAVEN
My husband, Evan, and I (Katie Greenberg) met in a unique way. We were both on Match.com and we connected. We had a few wonderful conversations. Long, and sharing a lot in common. But to be honest, I was in grad school and wasn’t sure if I was ready to swap my yoga class for a date. And, he really was doing the bachelor thing and needed some more time. Anyway, I blew him off and he did the same (although the says he blew me off first)! A year or so later I went on eHarmony. It’s a lot more expensive and requires answering a lot of questions to narrow down the pool. I took them very seriously and studiously, while Evan just answered.
And once again, we found each other. Or the universe found us. From our first formal date together, it was like meeting up with my best friend who I hadn’t seen in years. Catching up about his mom (who I remembered shared several common interests as me), his time in Newport, his job (same as my brother). And he had saved all my emails. I remember telling a friend that night after our first date- I had no idea where this was going but I did know he was someone special. And, we never looked back. We were living together within a year and married in two. We now have a ten-month-old daughter and moved to Hingham a year ago. And we haven’t looked back. And, I was right. I met a very, very special man. It just took me some soul searching and a few more all-night parties for the two of us to see each other as the people we were- meant to be.
(submitted by Katie Greenberg, Hingham resident)
BETTER THAN A HINGHAM HOCKEY HAT TRICK
My Girlfriend Jess Ryder and I (Lindsey Paul) met in the summer of 2014 after one of our Summer Hockey League games and found out we both went to Hingham High School, just 5 years apart. I graduated from in 2006 and she graduated in 2011. Having never met, it was ironic that we both played on the Hingham High Girls Hockey team a few years apart, attended the same elementary school (Plymouth River School) and had the same teachers!
Since then, we have been together for the past four years, and we live happily together with our two dogs and four cats. We are very much in love and looking forward to getting engaged later this year! There is nothing better than being in love with your best friend, having so many memories to share, & just seeing their smile can bring you right back home again.