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Never Too Old

Saturday, April 7, 2007

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Megan True

Ray Thomas plays the violin as Judy Wilson sings along to the song Wally Wally.

It’s not every day news gets around about a couple in their 60s finding love on the Internet.

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Megan True

The newly engaged couple Judy Wilson and Ray Thomas pose for a picture on umbrella day at the senior center in Cottonwood Falls.

Judy Wilson, 63, and Ray Thomas, 64, met each other through an online dating service. It began with friendship in November 2006 and then became romance earlier this year.

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Megan True

Ray Thomas smiles at his fiance Judy Wilson as she teases him at lunch.

Judy said that every time a man would break her heart online, Ray would serenade her over the phone by playing the song, “Waley Waley” on the violin.

After having her heart broken again in February, she heard “Waley Waley” while working in a children’s nursery at a church in Lawrence where she volunteers.

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Megan True

Judy Wilson and Ray Thomas stroll across the street in downtown Cottonwood Falls. Wilson and Thomas met on the internet about 5 months ago and got engaged Monday March 19th. "Dr. Phil says our kind of relationship has a 1 in 169,000 chance of working. We are going to be that one." said Judy Wilson.

She said she knew then that God was pointing her to Ray.

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Megan True

First presbyterian church of Cottonwood Fall's pastor Pat Ireland and friends pray over Ray Thomas and Judy Wilson and blesses them. Ray and Judy went to the church to get a blessing over their engagement.

After phone calls, e-mails and visits, they became betrothed on March 19 at a ceremony in Cottonwood Falls. A betrothal is a traditional Jewish engagement with the intention of getting married in a year and one day.

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Megan True

Ray Thomas and Judy Wilson show off their engagement rings. The rings say I am my beloved's and my beloved's is mine in Hebrew. "We are presbyterian but really thought these hebrew rings were fun." said Judy Wilson.

“We are not Jewish; we are actually Presbyterian, but we thought the betrothal sounded like something we wanted to do,” Thomas said.

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Megan True

Ray Thomas walks out of the church after their engagement blessing Tuesday afternoon at the First presbyterian Church of Cottonwood Falls.

Judy, a widow for the past five years, said she was concerned about losing her widow’s benefits should she remarry. She said they will address the problem before marrying.

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Megan True

Ray Thomas and Judy Wilson kiss after reading their vows to each other. "We are like young kids in love and we are just enjoying the ride." said Judy Wilson.

Ray said he is happy to have his first girlfriend and the true love in his life. His quest for love took a bit longer, he said, because of a speech impediment. He works as a janitor for the Cottonwood Falls senior center, and said he is looking forward to having Judy move to the quaint Chase County town to be with him in June.

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Megan True

Ray Thomas and his finace Judy Wilson enjoy an afternoon at Emma Chase Cafe in Cottonwood Falls.

“The odds of our relationship working are one in 169,000 according to Dr. Phil, but we are going to be that one.” Wilson said. “We are just enjoying the ride and trusting the Lord every step of the way.”

For a multimedia presentation, click here.

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