Saturday, May 4, 2024
Mr. and Mrs. Allen share a kiss after their wedding ceremony at the Harbor Lakes Nursing and Rehabilitation Center on July 15.
James (JC) Carlos Allen places a wedding ring on Jerre Dowty during their wedding ceremony at the Harbor Lakes Nursing and Rehabilitation Center on July 15.
Two Harbor Lakes Nursing facility residents met, fell in love, and got married.
Jerre Dowty married James (JC) Carlos Allen on Sat. July 15 during an intimate ceremony with their close friends and family members. They are the first residents that have been married in the facility.
Jerre, who is 70 has been a permanent resident at Harbor Lakes since October of 2022 and James who is 80 has been a permanent resident since Feb. 2022.
Charity Gabbert is a CNA at the Harbor Lakes facility and works directly with the Allen’s every day. “They’re really like a bunch of teenagers. They joke it up, they laugh it up. They’re probably the most loving couple I’ve ever seen. I want me and my husband to have the same relationship they do in 50 years. It feels like they’ve been married their whole life, that’s how connected they are,” Gabbert said.
The two had known of each other but neither was interested in finding love. They were later introduced to each other in the dining room in November of 2022 where their connection of spicy foods started it all.
After some conversation, Jerre wanted to give JC some Hot Cheetos, so he walked her to her room, and it was then that he gave her a kiss on the cheek.
The next week, Jerre’s daughter, Sherri Seymore came to visit during bingo.
“He was sitting at her table. He had never played with them before, so I was curious. I noticed that as Pam Gladson the activities director was calling the numbers, my mom and JC were making googly eyes at each other. I told my husband I thought mother may have a little crush,” Seymore said.
During a visit the next week from Seymore, Jerre came up to her and told her she had a secret to which Seymore had caught on that she had a boyfriend to which Jerre responded, “How did you know?”
The couple dated until May of this year and then Jerre told Seymore that they were “pretty serious” and were considering moving in together at the facility, to which Seymore was thrilled to hear.
Allen took the next step and asked Jerre in front of the residents at the facility to marry her while at bingo.
“She was so shocked, and it was a beautiful proposal,” Seymore said.
Jerre lost her best friend and sister soul mate in July of 2022.
“I was worried she would never fully adjust to the loss of her best friend Debbie Cypress, but I believe her best friend sent JC to her,” Seymore said.
The families of Jerre and JC are overjoyed that the two found each other.
“I never planned on finding love, but love comes when you least expect it,” Jerre Allen said.
