Love at the Chimney: High School Reunion Reignites Old Romance

Paul Franson had never attended a high school reunion in the 35 years since he graduated from Lyons Township High School. So he initially disregarded the invitation for last year's gathering for the Class of 1975.

One of Franson's co-workers, a former classmate at LT, asked if he was planning on attending. He said he was hesitant. At first he thought, "Why should I?"

In the end, he said something made him reconsider. 

A couple of days before the party, he asked his co-worker if she would accompany him.

On their way to the reunion, they talked about who they were looking forward to seeing and who they were afraid to see.

“I said I was looking forward to seeing any and everyone, since this was the first reunion I was attending," Franson said. "As for being afraid to see someone, it was Mickey Gervase. We had broken up when we were both in college and it did not end well. I have felt badly about it all these years.”

As they approached the check-in table, guess who was seated front and center.

It was none other than Mickey Gervase. Unlike Paul, she had attended every gathering. She was co-chairwoman of the reunion committee.

The two greeted one another and laughed a bit. But as the evening wore on, Franson said he sought her out to apologize. Gervase was gracious and they talked about old times. 

After a few weeks, Paul decided to call and invite her to dinner. Mickey agreed and revealed to him that she had kept some of her diaries and photo albums, as well as a few of Franson's letters to her, tied together with a string.

“Though many had been drenched in floods, I still hung onto some of the pages,” said Gervase. 

Franson worked for the La Grange Park District during his years in high school, as well as during summers home from college. During that time, one of his jobs had been to cover a fence at Gordon Park with silver aluminum paint. Franson and Gervase were dating in 1977, after Gervase had asked him to go with her to a wedding. Paul thought she was the "greatest."

In fact, he thought she was so great he decided to paint, "Mickey Gervase is the greatest," on the side of a chimney on the old maintenance building in Gordon Park with some of the Park District's silver paint.

After talking to Mickey about it, Franson said he decided to go to Gordon Park to see if his artwork was still there.

“It stood the test of time!” said Franson. His words were still painted on the chimney.

Their love for one another also stood the test of time. As they rekindled their courtship last October, Franson had it in his mind that he would propose to Gervase by writing once again on one of the bricks. He took her up once again to the chimney, using the same ladder he did in 1977. He proposed and she said (and wrote) “yes.”

They got engaged and were immediately bombarded with questions from both sides of the family about the wedding date. Gervase's sister had also gotten engaged just five days later, and the family decided to hold an engagement party to celebrate both.

The party was scheduled for Sunday, July 17.

Two days before, on July 15, Franson suddenly asked his finance, “Do you want to get married on Sunday?” 

Gervase gulped and said, “Sure.”

They got their marriage license on the Friday before their engagement party. Gervase found a dress and shoes and they got Paul a ring on Saturday. They decided on a surprise announcement at the engagement party. When they got there on Sunday, they hid their wedding clothes and at first didn't say a word about their wedding plan.

As the day wore on, the newly engaged couple stood before their families and told them the exciting news.

So, at 5:30 p.m. on July 17, the troupe of 33 people, along with the pastor from Franson's church, went to the wedding ceremony—located at the chimney! 

That was when Police arrived, but when the couple explained what was happening, the officers decided to leave them alone. 

The wedding party and guests returned to the engagement party, no arrests having been made, for dessert. By that point, it had turned into a wedding reception.

The happy couple plans to stand the test of time as well as the messages they painted on the chimney in Gordon Park.

Now, that's one police blotter report with a fairy tale ending!