Alumni Tim and Mary Joos recount their #WildcatLove story for Valentine’s Day

The Joos family, Tim and Mary (Buncher), trace their #WildcatLove story back to their days at UK. The couple got engaged in 2013 at Wildcat Alumni Plaza and even commemorated their big day with a paver.

Tim graduated from UK in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in finance from the Gatton College of Business and Economics. Mary graduated in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the UK College of Nursing.

We caught up with Tim and Mary, who now have a little addition to their family, and asked them about that memorable day and what they have been doing since leaving Lexington.

Here is what they had to say:

What is the story behind your engagement paver?

Engagement date and story: October 18, 2013

Tim told me he had tickets to Big Blue Madness and on our way he insisted we stop by the new UK Wildcat statue.  He got down on one knee and proposed right on our paver.  My best friends were also there waiting with celebratory champagne and flowers and music playing in the background.

When and where did you all get married?

We got married on May 31st, 2014, at St. Paul Catholic Church in Lexington, Kentucky. The reception was at the Rupp Arena convention center ballroom, of course!

What does it mean to you all that your paver will be there forever for you all to visit, show your kids, grandkids, etc.?

We try to make an effort every year to go back and see the paver. We love that we have a physical symbol of where our love began and can share that with future generations of our family.

What has happened in your lives since your big day?

Since being married, we have welcomed our daughter, Olivia, (now 2) , into the world. She is our Baby Wildcat!

What are you all doing now?

We live in downtown Chicago and love being in the city and enjoying all it has to offer. Mary is a nurse at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and Tim is a Financial Advisor for Northwestern Mutual.

How do you all stay connected to the University of Kentucky?

We stay connected in several ways — the Chicagoland Alumni Group/The Pony to watch games, friends and family, coming back for football and basketball games and Keeneland. Olivia went to her first UK basketball game when she was just a few months old. We can’t wait until the day she goes on a college visit.  We’re also very excited as Tim took his younger cousin/Ring Bearer from our wedding on a UK official visit to Gatton and the new campus last spring and we found out he was accepted and will be attending this fall 2020.  Tim is from Chicago and had a great experience at UK, so to see his cousin who is out of state (Illinois) will also be following in his footsteps is a great joy.