> At a Glance
> – Brenda Mullins, 71, and Bob Wagoner, 74, married on Dec. 23 at Montgomery County Senior Center
> – They met in 2023 while grieving-Mullins her husband of 48 years, Wagoner his mother
> – Friends at the center pushed the pair from friendship to romance
> – Why it matters: A story of late-in-life love showing healing and joy can follow loss
Friendship born from shared grief turned into December wedding bells for two Georgia septuagenarians who first crossed paths over a card table at their local senior center.
How They Met
Mullins visited the center on a counselor’s advice after her husband died. Wagoner was mourning his mother. A simple card game put them at the same table, and fellow seniors quickly spotted the spark.
> Mullins recalled:
> “And then everybody started in on the matchmaking, ‘You two need to get together, you need to get together.'”
From Hesitation to “I Do”
Both swore they’d stay just friends. Mullins initially turned down Wagoner’s proposal, telling him she wasn’t ready. His patient reply: “Well, when you get ready, you let me know.”
- First plan: Courthouse ceremony
- Final plan: Senior-center wedding to fit the growing guest list
- Honeymoon hope: Spring fishing trip on a lake
Key Takeaways
- Love can bloom at any age when healing hearts connect
- Community encouragement nudged the pair from friendship to commitment
- Their wedding venue choice honors the place that brought them together
As newlyweds, they now share simple joys-Mullins likes to cook, Wagoner likes to eat-and the comfort of knowing late-in-life love is possible.
