Archive for Sunday, June 22, 2008
Age doesn’t matter for this couple
Wedding bells to ring for White Owl, 61, and Lawrence High grad, 22
Jimmy Neil Tucker, 61, a Lawrence figure more commonly known as White Owl, and his fiancée, Kansas University junior Julia Lee, 22, plan to marry July 27 in Kansas City, Mo. Despite their 39-year age difference, the two say they share a deep spiritual connection.
June 22, 2008
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'White Owl' set to tie the knot
A popular Lawrence figure plans to tie the knot at the age of 61. His bride-to-be is a mere 39 years younger - but that hasn't stopped the couple from further pursuing their spiritual connection. Enlarge video
As the old saying goes, love knows no boundaries.
It’s that adage that brought together a Lawrence native and one of Kansas University’s well-known characters.
Julia Lee, 22, a 2004 Lawrence High School graduate, and the man popularly known as White Owl met in early May, after he spoke to her American Studies class.
Lee thanked White Owl, 61, who also is known as Jimmy Neil Tucker or Saul Tucker, for speaking to the class, then never expected to talk to him again. But they saw each other the next day, and their friendship blossomed. And soon, it turned into love.
Lee recalled a phone conversation that she had with a friend just a week after meeting Owl: “At the risk of sounding insane, I think I’m supposed to marry this guy or something.”
By June 2, they were engaged.
White Owl, known for talking with students outside KU’s Wescoe Hall and for his boisterous support of KU athletics, may seem an unlikely fit for Lee, given their 39-year age difference. But he insists they share a spiritual connection, especially because they had set the same dreams as children.
“All our dreams are answered in each other. All our secrets of the heart, right from the start, have been answered in each other,” he said.
It doesn’t surprise the couple that their engagement might be raising eyebrows.
“It’s hard to explain to (others) the minute-by-minute conversations (we have) in six to eight hours a day,” said White Owl, who has been married twice before. “You can’t explain it all.”
Lee added, “It just doesn’t seem normal at all, so of course they can’t understand why.”
But that’s not deterring the young painting major and her fiancé, who has a penchant for tie-dyed shirts and socks. They’ve set a wedding date for July 27 at the Loose Park Rose Garden in Kansas City, Mo., where Lee hopes to wear her mother’s wedding dress. Anyone and everyone is invited, White Owl said.
White Owl is careful to note that he did not set out looking for romance, just friendship.
“I was never going to push her into anything,” he said. “Every step of the way we have been friends.”
And the honeymoon?
“Our honeymoon is continuous,” he said. “We pinch ourselves every day because we are in the presence of each other.”
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22 June 2008 at 2:55 a.m.
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merrill (Anonymous) says…
Enjoy yourselves….
22 June 2008 at 8:07 a.m.
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yankeelady (Anonymous) says…
Wonder what her parents reaction was.
22 June 2008 at 8:20 a.m.
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kansas778 (Anonymous) says…
I like how the article points out that she graduated high school recently.
22 June 2008 at 8:34 a.m.
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northtown (Anonymous) says…
Give it up folks!!!! Let these people alone,then maybe they will and can enjoy a life together.What happened to Lawrence,the city that used to except the good old any thing goes poloicy??
Lawrence at one time would not have even noticed these folks getting hitched,now it is bad???Ask the people getiing married,even her parnets,maybe they like the old cigar!!!!!
Good luck to both,have a whatever life you can together,best advice,move out of Lawrence!!!!!!!!
Somewhere where they will not be judge and jury!!!!!!!
22 June 2008 at 8:39 a.m.
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T_Time (Anonymous) says…
Hopefully she has a place for them to spend eternity,(or next couple of months).
22 June 2008 at 8:57 a.m.
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texburgh (Anonymous) says…
This is news? Who cares?
22 June 2008 at 9:56 a.m.
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Weezy_Jefferson (Anonymous) says…
Geez, northtown, overreact much?
22 June 2008 at 10:46 a.m.
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sourpuss (Anonymous) says…
Aw, that's sweet. Good fortune to both of them.
22 June 2008 at 11:12 a.m.
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poop2scoop (Anonymous) says…
Seek counseling…you are just a few years out of high school and you're marrying someone in your grandfather's generation…seek counseling.
22 June 2008 at 11:33 a.m.
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SusieCreamcheeze (Anonymous) says…
Well I wish them all the luck..she could do worse from what I have seen.
22 June 2008 at 11:42 a.m.
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KEITHMILES05 (Anonymous) says…
Very doubtful this marriage will last as he has already been married twice.
I've seen him at games and he comes across as one weird duck.
22 June 2008 at 12:04 p.m.
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1wetwilly (Anonymous) says…
'On The Street' question:
What is an unacceptable age span between two people when they should not get married?
22 June 2008 at 12:27 p.m.
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somebodynew (Anonymous) says…
WOW— was-freashpowder was actually able to make a post that was on topic and stayed on topic and didn't involve a conspiracy.
Good Work (and I agree BTW)
22 June 2008 at 12:37 p.m.
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denak (Anonymous) says…
These two people are adults so they can do whatever they want but this just isn't “right.” Not neccessarily wrong but not right. I don't know if that makes any sense.
A forty year age difference is just way to much difference. If they have children, statistically, he will be dead by the time they reach 18. She will probably end up a very young widow with young children.
I would like to be optimistic and romantic about all this but I think it is kind of selfish where the children are concerned.
Now, if they don't intend to have children, let them do what they want.
Dena
22 June 2008 at 12:49 p.m.
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hawkperchedatriverfront (Anonymous) says…
Oh, this girl will want a kid. Believe me! Maybe they would like to buy an old house , historic too, and restore it and live happily ever after. I hope her new hubby takes a bath before the wedding. I can't wait to see the family photo of her and her family and his kids all together. Will the J/W cover the wedding?
22 June 2008 at 1:12 p.m.
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Multidisciplinary (Anonymous) says…
I wasn't going to post on this, then I read this comment.
1wetwilly (Anonymous) says…
'On The Street' question:
What is an unacceptable age span between two people when they should not get married?
***
It made me wonder..how would the reactions be changed if he was a widower and practicing lawyer or engineer of note, wearing a business suit,
and she was an scholarship winning A student at KU studying molecular biosciences, planning to get her PhD at Yale, wearing a white lab coat with black slacks and her hair in a chignon, with Harry Potter glasses?
22 June 2008 at 1:12 p.m.
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OldEnuf2BYurDad (Anonymous) says…
“A forty year age difference is just way to much difference. If they have children, statistically, he will be dead by the time they reach 18.”
He was almost dead before his bride reached 18.
Here are the items that tell you not to marry. Any of these could be considered “red flags”:
1 - He's twice divorced. I forget the statistics, but the chance of surviving this marriage is poor just on that one alone.
2 - He has three names. Unless you are a double-knot spy, you generally don't need an extra name.
3 - She's very young. I've seen succesful marriages with young people, but his maturity doesn't “make up for” her lack of maturity and experience.
4 - Age difference.
5 - Length of relationship.
“Give it up folks!!!! Let these people alone,then maybe they will and can enjoy a life together.”
Or, DON'T let them alone and she might change her mind before she commits.
22 June 2008 at 1:16 p.m.
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Molly Adams (Molly Adams) says…
I knew Julia when we were growing up. We shared a pet lizard. I'm glad to know that she's following her heard, regardless of societal norms.
22 June 2008 at 1:34 p.m.
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not_holroyd (Anonymous) says…
Looks like Hawkperched is a little jealous. Too bad he is too old and crotchity and nasty to develop a relationship with the fairer sex. Maybe he ought to take a few living lessons from old White Owl, instead of making crude remarks and being critical.
22 June 2008 at 1:47 p.m.
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not_holroyd (Anonymous) says…
Old Hawk ought to consider a move out to Rush County Kansas. I understand there is a singles club out there for bitter old men who have never had a date and do little in life other than posting negative things on a continual basis.
And no CDBG, university, bus routes, homeless shelters, or chambers of commerce to worry about. Just good clean air, and great neighbors. Dogs of all types.
Property is not underappraised out there either, like it is up on Louisiana Street next to the university. Lets get an appraiser up there to talk to the real estate agents about what a “serious bid” really means. Nobody should be getting a free ride up there. That means right now. Not sometime in the future.
22 June 2008 at 1:54 p.m.
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Drew_Carey (Anonymous) says…
Wait a minute..am I seeing this right?
merrill (Anonymous) says…
Enjoy yourselves….
merrill posted a two word comment?
Less is sometimes better.
500 pts for merrill
Now if we could get some others to follow his lead.
22 June 2008 at 2:01 p.m.
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nobody1793 (Anonymous) says…
.
22 June 2008 at 2:04 p.m.
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beatrice (Anonymous) says…
A little perspective on the age difference: He was of college age when the Beatles were at their peak, and John Lennon had been dead for six before she was even born.
Outside of the “deep spiritual connection,” I'm wondering what else they could possibly have in common?
I agree that they should be allowed to do what they choose, but I can't help but think it a bad choice on her part. She gets to look forward to a few healthy years, but then she will spend her time caring for an old man before becoming a young widow.
22 June 2008 at 2:19 p.m.
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beatrice (Anonymous) says…
That should read: John Lennon had been dead six “years” before she was even born.
22 June 2008 at 2:37 p.m.
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1wetwilly (Anonymous) says…
Her maturity and sanity might be questionable, but his maturity, mental state and motives are definately suspect.
He supposedly has her best interest in mind, so he is convinces her to marry him…her grandfather-equivalent.
It appears similar to a pedophile cult leader.
22 June 2008 at 2:49 p.m.
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jhawkgrl (Anonymous) says…
wow…i think it's gross. she should find someone her own age
22 June 2008 at 2:59 p.m.
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kansas778 (Anonymous) says…
Multi—that would make it much worse.
22 June 2008 at 3:02 p.m.
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kansas778 (Anonymous) says…
What really makes this relationship wrong is that she's taller than he is.
22 June 2008 at 4:36 p.m.
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pomegranate (Anonymous) says…
If he is the old buzzard driving the KU decorated car, then I saw him the other day with a young girl. I thought he was taking his granddaughter for a drive.
22 June 2008 at 4:37 p.m.
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KEITHMILES05 (Anonymous) says…
Care to tell the bloggers how MUCH younger your wife is?
22 June 2008 at 5:01 p.m.
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salad (Anonymous) says…
there's a picture of David Bowie in the latest Vogue, he's sitting with a group of people at a fashion show, so it's unretouched, and he seriously looks like he could pass for 30, but he's 61, which is the same age as our buddy white owl…..who looks like he could pass for 81.
22 June 2008 at 6:31 p.m.
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acornwebworks (Anonymous) says…
Considering that my daughter's dad was 30 years older than me, I'm not at all bothered by the age difference.
But, were this young woman my daughter and her fiance almost 40 years older, I'd want her marrying someone who didn't simply hang around a college campus being the most recent KU “campus character”.
Yeah, I understand he takes some free classes and is allegedly writing a book. And, darned if I know if his life actually was threatened by Russian double agents, if he has a PhD in music from Oxford, or thinks he cured himself of prostate and brain cancer using only frankincense, myrrh and prayer.
And it's cool to be…or love…an aging hippie. Heck. I'm an aging hippie myself, so it darn well better be cool!!!!
But I do know that, were she my daughter, I'd like her to marry a man she wouldn't outgrow.
I don't mean 'outlive'. I mean 'outgrow'.
Not a daughter who became stuffy or caught up in materialism, but a daughter who grew in her thinking, rather than emotionally and intellectually staying as a 22 year old undergraduate. A daughter who knew she was worth more than aphorisms and sophmoric philosophy. A daughter who would, herself, “wake up!!!”
In other words, I would have raised a daughter who would outgrow “White Owl.”
Oh yeah…I did :-)
22 June 2008 at 10:04 p.m.
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bearded_gnome (Anonymous) says…
I knew Julia when we were growing up. We shared a pet lizard. I'm glad to know that she's following her heard, regardless of societal norms.
–
was that lizard named “jimmy” or “white owl?”
***
drew-carey, I think somebody hacked merrill's userid, too short, and no cut-and-paste. so,
*couldn't be merrill*!
besides, the real merrill would be going on and on and on about the green alternatives for their wedding, reception, etc.
remember merrill favors enforced blackouts to cause people to save energy! he thinks broken streets are good because they are passive traffic calming devices.
22 June 2008 at 10:51 p.m.
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Bossa_Nova (Anonymous) says…
more power to white owl! dude if youre in your 60's and able to pick up 20-somethings, you obviously got your game on! i hope when i'm 60 i can still pick up hottie young women.
23 June 2008 at 12:24 a.m.
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Molly Adams (Molly Adams) says…
***was that lizard named “jimmy” or “white owl?”***
No; Chuck.
Chuck, the lizard.
23 June 2008 at 1:55 a.m.
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Multidisciplinary (Anonymous) says…
Thanks imnotyoo…
now I'll have “Chuck the lizard” firmly embossed in my brain cells.
People will wonder why I'm laughing at animal planet and discovery channel so much.
When I'm in a nursing home, I'll be completely senile, but muttering,
“Chuck the lizard, Chuck the lizard”
23 June 2008 at 8:01 a.m.
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acg (Anonymous) says…
A large part of marriage to me is sex, so I wouldn't be able to marry this old dude because there would be nothing there that would turn me on. And I would be afraid to get it on with him because I wouldn't want him dying in the middle. However, if they're happy, I'm happy for them. Who knows, she may be an old soul and they may be blissful til the end of his days. Congrats!
23 June 2008 at 12:40 p.m.
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KU_cynic (Anonymous) says…
Viva viagra!
23 June 2008 at 1:42 p.m.
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countrygirl (Anonymous) says…
Will these two wind up in the next Viagra commercial?
24 June 2008 at 6:53 p.m.
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screedposter (Anonymous) says…
For some reason, I thought it would be good to get the guidance of Dr. Ahmad Al-Mu'bi, a Saudi marriage officiant:
“There is no minimal age for entering marriage… You can have a marriage contract even with a one-year-old girl, … But is the girl ready for sex or not? What is the appropriate age for having sex for the first time? … The Prophet Muhammad is the model we follow. He took 'Aisha to be his wife when she was six, but he had sex with her only when she was nine.”
http://www.memritv.org/clip/en/1798.htm
22 year old marrying a 61 year old? No problem. Now if she were 8, you can marry her, but no sex, got it?
24 July 2008 at 11:17 p.m.
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Pywacket (Anonymous) says…
http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/sto…
Surprised that this was in the KC Star today but nary a word on the LJW—maybe the paper's staff is just tired of reading the withering comments on this and are hoping that this “news” will fly under the radar.
Oh, well. I'll start us off.
Wonder if the girl woke up one morning and said, “What the #%&@ was I thinking??!!!!”