By Jessica Babb | Broadcast Managing Editor
It all began on Baylor’s campus in February of 1957 when Caroyln and Stan Wilkes met in front of Alexander Hall on a blind date. Reminiscing on that day, the couple came back to visit the dorm to celebrate their 60-year anniversary.
Stan said it was love at first sight.
“Just walking across the foyer of Alexander, it was an instant attraction,” he said.
After meeting at the dorm, the two walked over to Waco Hall to enjoy both a ballet and each other’s company. After getting to know each other, they realized he was from Houston and she was from a small town named Claw.
“We’ve had a good time, but it was an example of a city boy with a country girl,” Carolyn Wilkes said.
Stan said one of his classmates helped set the two up because he was a shy guy.
Carolyn said the real reason he wanted to find a date was because she was part of a Baylor choir that was planning to take a trip to perform in Memphis, Tennessee — and Stan wanted to tag along.
“They needed someone in the choir,” Carolyn said.
“She met the specifications,” Stan jokingly added.
They only shared one semester together at Baylor before Stan graduated and went to attend law school at the University of Texas. About a year later, the two were married and began their lives together.
“When he graduated and I knew that college time was up, it was hard for me to think that I could go on without wanting to be around him,” Carolyn said.
Throughout the past 60 years, Stan and Carolyn’s relationship has flourished as they have gone on adventures, raised a family and shared timeless memories with one another. Both agree they are each other’s best friends.
Stan even offered some advice for current Baylor students who are hoping to meet “the one.”
“If you get to be a last semester senior and you haven’t found that person yet, don’t give up. It’ll happen,” Stan said.
Stan and Carolyn have recently moved back to Waco to be closer to both family members who attend Baylor and the community that brought them together.
“[Baylor] has just been so much a part of our lives. What it really meant was for us to pass it on, our appreciation of Baylor and what it is to our kids and our grandkids. We trust they will do the same thing if they can hang in for 60 years,” Carolyn said.
Reflecting on their marriage in the lobby of Alexander Hall during their visit, they were appreciative of the memories they have shared, and they plan on sharing many more memories with one another in the years to come.
“We are much happier now than way back then. It just gets better,” Stan said.
