The Early Years

It all started in second grade. But, they didn’t know it then, of course. Richard ‘Dick’ Schwemm leans back in his chair, a small smile on his face.

“We were both born in Sherman Hospital, which, in those days, was the only hospital in Barrington,” Schwemm said, glancing over at Mary Walbaum William.

Williams, sitting across from him at the well in Barrington United Methodist Church, chuckled softly.

“And we grew up half a block away from each other,” she added with a teasing grin. “But second-grade boys weren’t exactly interested in girls.”

Sitting across from each other in the church’s well, the place where they’ve spent countless quiet moments, it’s clear: the bond that started in second grade has only grown stronger over the years.

“I don’t remember her then,” Schwemm admitted, laughing. They both attended Hough Street School, the only K-8 school in town, so by the time they reached high school, they’d already spent years in the same classes.

“Once you got in a class, then you all progressed together,” Williams said. And since their last names were both towards the end of the alphabet, they crossed paths often.

High School: The Beginning of Something More

By senior year, things started to shift. Williams recalled that they hadn’t really dated or even talked much before, but homecoming was one of the first signs that things were changing.

“We weren’t going together for homecoming,” William said.

“I don’t know why,” Schwemm said. “There were only 116 in our class, so if you take out all the football players, there weren’t many boys left. Our friend Nancy Meehan was homecoming queen, and Mary was on the court. They just paired us up, and we went along with it.”

Even though they weren’t romantically involved, something changed after homecoming.

“The way I remember it, a group of girls gave me a note that said Mary wanted me to ask her out. So, I did,” Schwemm said. “I think we went to a movie on our first date at the Catlow Theater.”

The evening was easy —just two teenagers figuring each other out. But something clicked, and soon enough, things started to shift. Their conversations became longer, their time together more frequent.

“And by Christmas, we were going steady,” Williams revealed. “I wore his basketball chain because he was on the basketball team.”

But at that young age, they didn’t know what forever meant.

“At 18, we thought we were in love and would be in love forever. We were going to get married,” Schwemm reflected. “But then Mary went to DePauw and I went to Amherst College, and by Christmas, it had cooled substantially. We wrote letters and talked occasionally, but I think we were starting to feel the distance.”

Williams agrees, “By Christmas, it had definitely cooled.”

She smiles, recalling how time and distance shifted their feelings. “Out of sight, out of mind,” she said. “And we were 18; we didn’t know what was going to happen.”

A Long Pause

Schwemm and Williams went their separate ways. Both married and started families of their own. Williams stayed in Barrington with her husband John and their two daughters and taught first grade at elementary schools in the area. Schwemm went on to earn a master’s degree from the University of Illinois and then started work at IBM. Eventually, he, his wife and their three daughters settled on the East Coast.

But life has a funny way of circling back. Schwemm didn’t attend any gatherings until his 50th high school reunion, which was the first one he went to.

“That was the first reunion I came to,” Schwemm said. “I met Mary’s husband, John, and she met my wife, Barbara. We sat at the same table that night, and I think after that, we started to remember each other.”

Although they had both moved on and built lives, there was something so natural about their reconnection.
“I remembered her birthday, and she remembered mine,” Schwemm said. “So I started sending her an email on her birthday.”
They didn’t keep in touch much after that. Schwemm lived in New Hampshire, and Williams was in Barrington. Over time, as both dealt with their spouses’ health struggles, they reconnected through caregiving.

“We were both going through difficult times with our spouses being sick,” Schwemm explains. “I think we started emailing more, just to commiserate.”

Williams nodded. “It was really an online pity party,” she said, laughing. “But that’s how it started.”

The Reunion: A New Chapter

Then came their 60th reunion—the first one after COVID, and the first without their spouses, as Williams’ husband had passed away and Schwemm’s wife was unable to attend due to illness.
“I came to the reunion and told Mary I’d like to go to church with her,” Schwemm recalled. “I had been baptized and confirmed there, and I wanted to see the new church.”

That decision would lead to more time together, and as things unfolded.
Schwemm’s wife Barbara passed away on Jan. 13, 2022. Schwemm came to visit his brother in Barrington Hills, and since he was already there, he decided to reach out to Williams.
“We had our first date in 67 years, June 24, 2022,” Williams said.
“It was really easy,” Schwemm said with a smile. “One of the things that surprised us was how easy it was. After all those years, we just fell back into it.”
Williams added, “We fell in love pretty fast, really.”
“There was a bit of a conversation about where we should live,” Schwemm said. “And it became clear to me that while I love New Hampshire, an 85-year-old woman can’t just move to a town she’s never been to and expect to put down roots and make friends. So, the answer was simple: I’d come here.”
“It’s been helpful that this is my hometown. It’s not the same as it was 67 years ago, but it’s still my town. I worked as an usher at the Catlow theater when I was a sophomore in high school,” Schwemm said.

Starting Over, Together

But unlike their first round of teenage love, this time, they knew life would be more complicated.

“In a marriage of 60 years, it’s not all gravy,” Schwemm said, his voice softening. “There are bumps along the way. But we didn’t have those bumps together before, so now it feels like we’re starting with a clean slate.”

They didn’t rush into things. Williams visited Schwemm in New Hampshire, despite feeling unsure about the idea. Born and raised in Barrington, she had never strayed far from home, and the thought of traveling felt unfamiliar and risky.

“It wasn’t something a girl would have done in my day,” she admitted.

But for love, she took the risk. “My daughters were very supportive of it,” she added. With their encouragement, she decided to step outside her comfort zone.

Now, years later, they are united.

“We have five children combined and 11 grandchildren combined, and they’re all very supportive of this,” Schwemm said. “They want us to be happy.”

Williams agreed. “It definitely makes it easier to get back into a relationship like this.”

A New Beginning

The couple decided to get married at the church, the same one where Schwemm had been baptized.

“It seemed natural,” Schwemm said. “At our age, living together doesn’t mean the same thing as it does when you’re 18. It seemed like, if we’re going to be together, we should be married.”

They discuss how their love has evolved over time, especially after their first marriages.

“We’ve had all the experience of a 60-year-old marriage, but we didn’t have that together, so we just assumed that everything we would have had if we had stayed together would have been good, even though we know not everything would have been smooth sailing. But now, it’s better together than alone,” Schwemm said.

“It’s not just companionship. It’s love,” Williams said. “And it was never about convenience. We love each other, and that’s all that matters.”

Enjoying Life Together

Now, they share many things.

“We both love music,” Schwemm said. “We have a subscription to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and we go to the Elgin Symphony Orchestra as well. We both enjoy dining out and cooking in. I’m a good cook,” Schwemm said, with a smile.

“And he bakes,” Williams added, which earned her an eye roll in response from Schwemm.

“Yeah, I bake and she gives it away to everyone in the Garlands,” he laughed.

The couple’s life together may have started late, but it feels as if every piece has fallen into place.

“We didn’t like being alone,” Schwemm confessed. “And dinner time, that was the hardest. But now, it’s the best thing that could have happened.”

And as they share quiet moments, enjoying their life together, they know that the years ahead, while uncertain, will be spent side by side.

“At our age, we know what’s coming,” Williams said. “But it’s better together.”