As Genesis 2:24 says, “A man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” Lancaster Bible College has been blessed to see many wonderful, godly marriages begin right here on campus. After we asked our alumni to share their college love stories, they responded in a big way—and many noted that after meeting at LBC, “the rest is history!”
So this Valentine’s Day, we’re taking a look at the couples who met during their years as Chargers and are celebrating varying years of marriage today. Whether they met in the dorms, through various clubs, organizations, sports teams and mutual friends, or maybe even by happenstance, their stories are sure to tug at your heartstrings!
Anna (Warner ’64) and John (’66) Allshouse
John (’66) & Anna (Warner ’64) Allshouse
- Married in 1966 (married 32 years when John went home to glory in 2010)
- “We group dated to Youth For Christ on Saturday nights, piling into cars (overloading them). We also used to love to sing in the lobby of the dining hall, which was located in lower Esbenshade.” Anna served as an Adjunct Professor at LBC, and she was honored as Alumnus of the Year in 2003.
Nicole (Erb ’17) & Nate (’17) Amspacher
Nate (’17) & Nicole (Erb ’17) Amspacher
- Married in 2016
- “We (actually) met in middle school, but we both went to LBC and got married after our sophomore year! We started dating senior year of high school. We finished out our degrees online!”
Chuck (’63) & Jean (Strain ’63) Arnold
Chuck (’63) & Jean (Strain ’63) Arnold
- Married in 1963
- “Once he figured out which twin I was (my sister was at LBC, too), he asked me to go to Calvary Church. I did, and 10 months later we got married in Darby, Pa. The rest is a very, very long story.”
Eva (Huber ’14) & Marcus (’13) Benner
Marcus (’13) & Eva (Huber ’14) Benner
- Married 10 years
- “We had many classes together since we were both in education. Eva’s roommate was friends with a lot of baseball players, so Eva would attend baseball games from time to time and Marcus played on the team. A little bit later, Marcus ‘needed help with homework’ and got Eva’s number. Marcus asked Eva to be his girlfriend in lower Bru during open dorms (how romantic! Ha!). Forever grateful to LBC and Mrs. Anna Allshouse because her Human Growth & Development class was the first we ever had together!”
Nathaniel (’05) & Kimberly (Sutberry ’05) Bickford
Nathaniel (’05) & Kimberly (Sutberry ’05) Bickford
- Married in 2006
- “It was during Church and Ministry Day on Sept. 11, 2001, before anyone knew what had happened. I stopped at the Westminster Presbyterian Church table to find out more about the church. The organist, who was manning the table, introduced me to Nathaniel, who was also helping out at the table.”
Corey (’19 & ’22) & Mara (Pepper ’19) Blockus
Corey (’19 & ’22) & Mara (Pepper ’19) Blockus
- Married in 2019
- “We met through a mutual friends group.”
Terry (Mease ’89) & Jim (’80) Bracelin
Jim (’80) & Terry (Mease ’89) Bracelin
- Married 44 years
- “We met the week before school started. Jim was playing soccer and I was on the field hockey team. We met in the cafeteria because Jim was good friends with Jack, my sister Cheryl’s fiancé, who also met at LBC.”
Catie (Herlan ’01) & Neil (’01) Breneman
Neil (’01) & Catie (Herlan ’01) Breneman
- Married 22 years
- “We met through friends and got to know each other more during a Winterim session. Catie worked in the snack shop so Neil bought lunch every day. He is very frugal, but she gave him extra fries so it was worth it! We started dating a month later. We got married after we graduated in 2001. We have three children and have lived in Harrisburg, State College and Lewistown.”
Mandy (Metzler ’20) & Erich (’17) Carroll
Erich (’17) & Mandy (Metzler ’20) Carroll
- Married in 2019
- “Erich and I met while playing a random pickup game of volleyball in the HAC! Even though baseball was his sport of choice, he decided to join the game of volleyball after talking to my roommate at the time and being introduced to me. He stopped midway working out (back when the gym was still in the mezzanine) and decided to come down to the gym to play! From there we played a few more games of volleyball with our friends and then went on our first date! The rest is history.”
Zach (’21) & Chantal (Peterson ’21) Clemens
Zach (’21) & Chantal (Peterson ’21) Clemens
- Married 1½ years
- “We knew each other in passing, as the campus is quite small. However, we became friends when we both took up leadership positions in a discipleship group on campus called Finishers for Christ. Neither of us was looking to date at that time in our lives, but God had other plans. He caused our friendship to blossom and confirmed character qualities in the other that we highly valued. An older couple mentored us as friendship turned into interest, and the rest is history!”
Cassie (Slocum ’06) & Bill (’11) Coder
Bill (’11) & Cassie (Slocum ’06) Coder
- Married in 2006
- “We were both randomly assigned to the same Christian Service project, ministering at the York Detention Center.”
Emma (Boyer ’23) & Cade (’21) Devlin
Cade (’21) & Emma (Boyer ’23) Devlin
- Married in 2022
- “Cade was close friends with my roommate’s boyfriend, and she invited me along to meet everyone at a local friend’s house. From there, we started spending more time together on campus and away from our friends, and over the course of a few months found we really hit it off!”
Joan (Haga ’92) & Jim (’78) Evans
Jim (’78) & Joan (Haga ’92) Evans
- Married in 1976
- “We met casually. Joan sang with the Sojourners and got my attention. We dated four months before we were engaged and were married a year later. It’s been quite a ride.”
Penny (Carney ’74) & David (’73) Fenton
David (’73) & Penny (Carney ’74) Fenton
- Married in 1973 (married for 48 years and 51 weeks. David died one week before our 49th anniversary)
- “Since resident students just got to know each other, we really did not ‘meet.’ My second year there, I was the Mail Lady. One day, I was taking the mail into the Student Union in my red wagon named Clarence. I saw him standing there in a wrinkled shirt. (The guys had to wear suit coats or sweaters, so they would only iron the shirt collars, cuffs and fronts.) I told him his shirt was wrinkled, then put out the mail. When I was done, I went over and yelled at him for all the guys that did not iron their shirts. Then, I showed him spots on his shirt, and two buttons unbuttoned. He told me I sounded just like his mother, and we were together from October 1971 until his death from Parkinson’s in 2021.”
Matthew (’07) & Megan (Coderre ’06) Fraver
Matthew (’07) & Megan (Coderre ’06) Fraver
- Married in 2008
- “The first time we met was my (Megan) freshman year in the basement of Peterson when my friend Jessica and I were playing pool, and two guys came down to play pool on the other table next to us. I don’t think I ever even looked up, but Matt looked over at us, and in his head said, ‘Wow, she’s cute!’ Jessica and Matt had a class together so all three of us hung out often! I remember that since he was a commuter, he would eat in the café, and when I would head to the cafeteria for my meals, I would peek into the café and see him eating and get butterflies! What really got things going was when I waited in line to get a grilled cheese in the cafeteria because they were offering grilled cheese with a burger in between but I did not want the burger, I just wanted a grilled cheese; so when I got up to get one, I asked for no burger and they said I was not allowed to do that, so I was so upset I left the cafeteria and went into the café and ordered myself a grilled cheese and paid for it and sat down all by myself in a booth and I was venting to Matt about my experience, and we started laughing. I think he came over and brought his tuna sandwich, and we ate dinner together that night. After getting to know each other for many months, and finding out that neither of us had ever dated anyone else before was very special. So many people kept saying that they knew Matt and Megan were going to get married one day! On April 5, 2005, Matt asked me to be his girlfriend in the Peterson parking lot with beautiful flowers in hand standing right next to his navy blue Volkswagen Jetta, and the rest was history! We got married on 8/8/08!”
Jakob (’22) & Morgan (Naggie ’19) Hill
Jakob (’22) & Morgan (Naggie ’19) Hill
- Married in 2022
- “We met on the New York City fall missions trip in October 2017.”
D. Scott (’87 & ’08) & Kendra (Precise, attended ’83-’87) Hillard
Scott (’87 & ’08) & Kendra (Precise, attended ’83-’87) Hillard
- Married 13 years
- “We both came in as freshmen in 1983. We did not date in college but were friends. We reconnected via Facebook in 2009. We married in 2011. No children together but have four children from previous marriages.”
Hannah (Wheeler ’21) & Jesse (’22) Hoffman
Jesse (’22) & Hannah (Wheeler ’21) Hoffman
- Married in 2023
- “Jesse was friends with Hannah’s roommate. In November 2021, Jesse corresponded with this mutual friend to plan a brother/sister apartment event for his and their apartment complex on campus. Jesse planned to cook dinner for the girls in Hannah’s apartment and the guys in his, but last-minute all Jesse’s guys backed out. Jesse still came to make dinner for the girls in Hannah’s apartment, and that’s really where their relationship began. A water gun fight, quarantine, long distance, lots of pursuit later, and we’re married!”
Christopher (’06) & Tashina (Forney ’06) Horne
Christopher (’06) & Tashina (Forney ’06) Horne
- Married in 2006
- “We were both stuck on campus thanks to the Blizzard of 2003. Tashina normally went home every weekend, but ended up not going home because of the snow. On Feb. 14, 2003, LBC was hosting a Valentine’s Day coffeehouse in one of the private dining rooms. Tashina went in looking for her friends. They decided not to go, but there was one seat left open, and it happened to be next to Christopher (who frantically waved and made sure she saw the open seat). We were inseparable after that! Christopher graduated in spring of 2006, we got married in July, and Tashina graduated in winter of 2006, so in true LBC fashion, Tashina graduated with her MRS! Over 17 years later, we are still happily married and are raising four wonderful children together.”
Joel (’00) & Michelle (Cook ’97) Jenney
Joel (’00) & Michelle (Cook ’97) Jenney
- Married 25 years
- “Our friend groups began hanging out together more, but at the same time, Joel played on the soccer team and Michelle kept the stats for the men’s soccer team the fall semester of 1997. It took some effort on Joel’s part. Michelle thought the silly, junior high-type flirtations were kind of ridiculous, but by the beginning of December, she finally gave in and they started dating.”
Jaimee (McGuinness ’19) & Christopher (’19) King
Christopher (’19) & Jaimee (McGuinness ’19) King
- Married in 2020
- “We met by having the same first ministry class together. We got to know each other better throughout the class because we were put in a group project together. Now happily married with our first baby born this past December 2023 and two fluffy pups.”
Joseph (attended ’04-’05) & Carolyn (Lucas ’09) Kirschner
Joseph (attended ’04-’05) & Carolyn (Lucas ’09) Kirschner
- Married in 2017
- “We were introduced through a mutual friend. Our first time meeting in person was in the dining hall. We quickly became friends, and the rest is history. Now we have been married for over 16 years and have three children. Our son is 12 years old and our daughters are 9 years old and 6 years old.”
Martha (Chartschlaa ’81) & George (’78) Kohl
George (’78) & Martha (Chartschlaa ’81) Kohl
- Married in 1980
- “We met during Martha’s freshman orientation in 1977 – George was in his senior year.”
Kyle (’14) & Monica (Horning ’15) Lambertson
Kyle (’14) & Monica (Horning ’15) Lambertson
- Married in 2014
- “A mutual friend introduced us the first week of my freshman year (Kyle’s sophomore year). We both played soccer and got to know each other better because of that. We started dating a few months later, and the rest is history! We got married the summer after Kyle graduated and before my senior year. We have been happily married for almost 10 years and it just keeps getting sweeter with time.”
Corey (’15) & Kate (Webster ’16) Leonard
Corey (’15) & Kate (Webster ’16) Leonard
- Married in 2016
- “Corey and I met when we started a ministry on campus together called ‘Generation 2 Generation,’ which connected LBC students with members at a local retirement community, Calvary Homes.” Today, Kate works as part of LBC’s Admissions team.
Jake (’21) & Naomi (Kuhns ’21) Long
Jake (’21) & Naomi (Kuhns ’21) Long
- Married in 2021
- “Jake and I met when we were both on ResLife in 2018. Jake was a sophomore and a CA and I was a junior and an RA, both in East Hall.”
James (’74) & Kristin (Weitzel ’75) Mayer
James (’74) & Kristin (Weitzel ’75) Mayer
- Married in 1975
- “We were in some of the same classes and also shared rides to Calvary Bible Church in Mount Joy, Pa.”
David (’09) & Evelyn (McInnes ’09) McCulloch
David (’09) & Evelyn (McInnes ’09) McCulloch
- Married 15 years
- “We met in 2004 (freshman year) in Mrs. Stauffer’s English class that was held in the library computer lab! Dave would then come to visit me on the porch of my dorm, Old Main. Our first date was to a missions banquet held at The Eden Resort, and the second date was to Chickies Rock for hiking. We were married in 2008 in downtown Lancaster at Wheatland and then had our reception at The Eden Resort to honor where we had our first date!”
Nathan (’20) & Emily “EJ” (Sensenig ’22) McFarland
Nathan (’20) & Emily “EJ” (Sensenig ’22) McFarland
- Married 2½ years
- “We worked at a summer camp together first. Nate was already attending LBC, and then I started attending shortly after. We quickly became part of the same friend group and spent a lot of time together. After a couple semesters, we began to realize we wanted to be more than friends.” Today, EJ works as part of LBC Student Affairs team.
Jerad (’99) & Wanda (Martin ’00) Mellette
Jerad (’99) & Wanda (Martin ’00) Mellette
- Married in 2000
- “We both went to Word of Life Bible Institute in New York, but didn’t run in the same circle of friends. I transferred to LBC in 1996, and Jerad transferred to LBC in 1997. We sang together on the traveling vocal ensemble, Psallomen, in 1998. During that time we really got to know each other well – we even stood right beside each other!”
Christopher (’13) & Brianna (Funk ’12) Mellon
Christopher (’13) & Brianna (Funk ’12) Mellon
- Married 10 years
- “We went on tour with a traveling worship team sent out from the Music, Worship & Performing Arts Department. We were some of the only singles on the tour and spent a month together on the road in buses, cars and planes. By the time we had returned, we had grown very fond of each other and started dating right away. We got married right after we graduated and have been happily married since.”
Katy (Coldiron ’07) & Ben (’07) Miller
Ben (’07) & Katy (Coldiron ’07) Miller
- Married 15 years
- “Ben’s best friend introduced us after he led an LBC team on a mission trip to NYC. Ben didn’t want to be set up, so he ignored Katy for six months. But then Katy started hanging out after our ‘Thursday Night Worship’ time (from 10-11 p.m. every Thursday in the Chapel), which Ben led. After hanging out with friends, we had our first real date at Prince Street Café. We started officially dating a month later, were engaged a year after that and married six months later.”
Ted (’18) & Hope (Lewis ’17) Mohler
Ted (’18) & Hope (Lewis ’17) Mohler
- Married in 2018
- “Ted and I were in a brother/sister dorm section (so had many dorm events together) and we also had mutual friends. Both gave us many opportunities to get to know each other in different group settings.”
Rachel (Laubach ’15) & Matt (’16) Nargi
Matt (’16) & Rachel (Laubach ’15) Nargi
- Married 7 years
- “We met through mutual friends and became Snapchat friends. I (Rachel) was on my way from Pennsylvania to Maine to visit my roommate and sent a Snapchat of me being stuck in traffic on the George Washington bridge. Matt, being a New York native, said that was the wrong way to go and it was quicker to actually drive by his house. He said I should go that way on my way back home and stop for dinner to break up my trip. I took him up on his offer, and on the way to his family’s house, about 45 minutes out, I totaled my car. His parents offered to put me up for the weekend while I waited for when my mom could drive up and get me, and the rest is history! We just welcomed our baby girl, Avery, on Christmas Eve.”
Shyanne (Smith ’15) & Tyler (’15) Noel
Tyler (’15) & Shyanne (Smith ’15) Noel
- Married in 2015
- “We met as freshmen in fall 2011 and became friends through the Worship Arts program. We shared some classes together and had a passion for worshiping the Lord through music. Our friendship began as something fun, silly and maybe even a little flirtatious, that would eventually lead to us dating in the spring of 2013. We shared so many wonderful moments together while at LBC! From the music we sang, to the songs we wrote together, the talent shows we were a part of, the many hours of ping pong in Miller Hall, performing at coffee houses, the formals we attended, being introduced to ‘The Lord of the Rings’ for the first time, and all the studying (of course). I look back with such fond memories at our dating and engaged relationship. Eight years later, we now have three beautiful children and still have so much passion for the Lord and ministry in the church. We have been part of a nearby church in Lancaster (Calvary Church) where Tyler has been working since a few months after our LBC graduation. We truly are grateful for the tools that LBC equipped us with and being able to still use them as we work/serve in the church together. It is still one of our favorite parts of our relationship, and we love any opportunity we have to sing praises to Jesus together!”
Barbara (Costolo ’82) & Dean (’81) Osborn
Dean (’81) & Barbara (Costolo ’82) Osborn
- Married 41 years
- “We were part of a friend group. I sang with the Sojourners and our leader, Gerry Newswanger, suggested Dean get to know me better. The first time he asked me to miniature golf, I was getting my dorm ready (as an RA), so I told him to ask someone else – I had too much to do. Then he explained he was asking as a date, not as friends. So I asked for an hour to get ready. Forty-three years later, we are more in love than ever!”
Megan (Clever ’12 & ’14) & Cody (’13, ’15 & ’23) Ray
Cody (’13, ’15 & ’23) & Megan (Clever ’12 & ’14) Ray
- Married in 2012
- “Cody remembers seeing Megan his first day on campus. He was there early for cross country, and she was working in Admissions as a student worker. In his words, when he saw her from a distance, he said out loud, ‘I have to meet her.’ Megan worked in Admissions that summer (and continuing beyond) and remembers seeing the name ‘Cody Ray’ come across her desk as a student the counselors met at Momentum Youth Conference that year. They actually met at Hershey Park during Weekend of Welcome. Cody was a freshman participating, and Megan was an action group leader who was serving that weekend. Megan got lost at Hershey Park from the group she originally was with, and no one was answering their phones. The last phone number she had of someone who was at Hershey Park was Cody’s RA, so she met up with them. The next ride they went on Cody and Megan rode together. And the rest is history.”
Rosa Linda (Artiles Rodriguez ’27) & Fernando (’25) Rivas
Fernando (’25) & Rosa Linda (Artiles Rodriguez ’27) Rivas
- Married in 2022
- “We met in the missions conference practice and activities.”
Albert (’18) & Stephanie (Blest ’18) Sampson
Albert (’18) & Stephanie (Blest ’18) Sampson
- Married in 2020
- “This is one of my favorite stories to tell. We met when he was dating a girl in my section sophomore year. He was not currently a student, so I would meet him when he would come to visit her for the weekend. Then, the next fall, my junior year, he came as a student. We would see each other in some of our education classes and occasionally I would see him in the stands for basketball games while I was on the other side as the manager for the women’s team. However, the funny part about our story is that we never dated while students at LBC. People now like to ask us why. There were two main reasons. 1) He always stressed me out in class because he would ask about assignments way before they were due, and then not actually finish them until the night they were due. 2) I loved sports and being on ResLife. He, on the other hand, did not. We actually ended up dating when we both got teaching positions at the same school in Harrisburg, Pa., right after graduating. Both of us were first-year teachers and we were both Christians. It all started with a trip to Chick-fil-A after our first week of teaching. The rest is history!”
Kevin (’89) & Michele (Miller ’89) Sensenig
Kevin (’89) & Michele (Miller ’89) Sensenig
- Married for 34 years
- “We became great friends on the Forerunner Summer Camp Team. This was the very first Forerunner Team in 1986. We started to date the following fall semester.”
Paul (’98) & Shelly (Fenton ’99) Smith
Paul (’98) & Shelly (Fenton ’99) Smith
- Married in 1999
- “We both worked on the Envoy. I was the editor and Paul was the layout editor.”
Vicki (Kos ’88) & Mitch (’86) Spangler
Mitch (’86) & Vicki (Kos ’88) Spangler
- Married in 1987
- “I needed a game for my birthday party (Jan. 25) and I knew Mitch had Trivial Pursuit – a big thing in the day! I asked to borrow it, he invited himself, but he had a car – also a big deal back then – to go get the pizza (very impressed with his driving in the snow!). And that’s how it all started! We then went to the sweetheart banquet together on HIS birthday (Feb. 14).”
James (’02) & Stacy (Hunsberger ’02) Stargel
James (’02) & Stacy (Hunsberger ’02) Stargel
- Married in 2003
- “James was an RA and was leading during an incoming freshman activity and social night. We realized that night through an icebreaker that we had the same birthday. That next Sunday we ended up going separately to the same church, Ephrata Bible Church, in the morning and at a college group in Marietta and talked for the first time. We got to know each other more over the next six months, started dating in February and got engaged two years after that.”
Nathan (’08) & Katie (Yodkins ’07) Stein
Nathan (’08) & Katie (Yodkins ’07) Stein
- Married in 2009
- “We were in Biblical Hermeneutics together, but he really caught my eye in the dining hall. On an empty Saturday, Nate was going to sit alone and my friends and I invited him to join us instead. He tripped on the way over and spilled his milk on me. Later we started taking walks together, and the rest is history!”
Phil (’04) & Kathy (Musser ’04) Sweger
Phil (’04) & Kathy (Musser ’04) Sweger
- Married in 2004
- “We met in music ensembles – band, hand bells and choir.”
Jared (’16) & Lydia (Pepper ’18) Tiesenga
Jared (’16) & Lydia (Pepper ’18) Tiesenga
- Married in 2018
- “We met at a party on the patio because one of his friends from class was my CA! He tried impressing me while he was playing badminton for a gym class and I was in the upstairs gym working out for lacrosse—it worked!”
Bradley (’16) & Charis (Anderson ’17) Wilcox
Bradley (’16) & Charis (Anderson ’17) Wilcox
- Married in 2017
- “His ex-girlfriend was in my dorm freshman year. She pointed him out to me. We ran in similar friend circles my first year at LBC (his second year). At Missions Conference he ended up asking me about my time in Mexico as a missionary kid because he was really interested in missions. This conversation, plus a homework music jam session, led to seven months of texting, hanging out and ‘Does he like me?’ Come September 2014, we began dating (on the 27th). He was my first boyfriend. I went from never having dated to now parenting with him. As I left the dorm on the night that he asked me to be his girlfriend, my friend Sarah said, ‘Charis, what if this is the LAST time I see you as a single lady?! What if you’re NEVER single again?!’ And I never was. We got married on May 27, 2017. Bradley usually reads a chapter of Proverbs a day. Proverbs 27:17 reads, ‘As iron sharpens iron, so one sharpens another.’ That’s a goal in our marriage, to sharpen each other. The 27th of EVERY month is just a little bit special for us.”
Craig (’79) & Deb (Hampton ’82) Worley
Craig (’79) & Deb (Hampton ’82) Worley
- Married in 1982
- “Both of us worked in the snack bar and had some classes together. Friends first, had our first date in October and we traveled to his parents’ by Thanksgiving break.”
Jill (Jackson ’00) & Rick (’00) Wulf
Rick (’00) & Jill (Jackson ’00) Wulf
- Married 23 years
- “We were friends for years while at LBC. We took many classes together, and during our senior year we started dating. It all happened very fast; Feb. 14 we started dating, March 28 we got engaged, then we got married Aug. 12!”
Gabriel (’17) & Erin (Carroll ’18) Yoder
Gabriel (’17) & Erin (Carroll ’18) Yoder
- Married in 2018
- “I got to know Gabe through my brother, Erich. Erich and Gabe were friends and teammates. I would often hang out with Erich and his friends and got to know Gabe pretty well from that.”
Amanda (Dowhen ’03) & Brian (’20) Zuschmidt
Brian (’20) & Amanda (Dowhen ’03) Zuschmidt
- Married 5½ years
- “We met ahead of LBC. Brian had actually worked on many buildings while I was a faculty member. Then after we married, he started attending on the spousal scholarship.” Today, Amanda serves LBC as Program Director for Sport Management and a professor in the Business Administration Department.