Fancy meeting you AGAIN!

After 1970s BJ State Desk reporter Paula Tucker and BJ newsroom retiree John Olesky landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 2013, retired BJ photographer Don Roese was there to greet them.

From left: John, Paula, Maryann, Don 

Don and wife Maryann had spent a week or so at the home of 1970s State Desk reporter Cathy Strong, today on the faculty of Massey University in Wellington, New Zealand, and were heading back to their Cuyahoga Falls home. Maryann guarded the luggage while Don went to the airport parking lot to greet Paula and John. 

A day after the reunion with Don, Paula and John were met by Cathy, who flew from Wellington to Auckland for the day. Cathy showed her former BJ State Desk boss John and Paula around the town.

Two days after Paula and John landed at Fort Lauderdale, Florida airport Feb. 22 to escape Northeast Ohio's brutal winter, they had another reunion with Don and Maryann -- dinner at Lorenzo's Restaurant on Dania Beach. The original meeting place was at Grandpa's on Dania Beach, but it turned out to be closed by mid-afternoon.

Don and Maryann were heading back to Ohio a few days later. Paula and John, after 8 days in Lauderdale, went on a cruise to Cozumel, Mexico and Key West. 

When Don and Maryann, who worked for the State of Ohio for decades assisting mentally ill people before her retirement, aren't traveling around the world they are helping the Akron area's homeless people get food and shelter, including tents provided by local businesses to replace cardboard boxes. 

They have 4 children and 11 grandchildren. 

Don and Maryann lived several blocks from John in Cuyahoga Falls for several decades until about 10 years ago. Now they seem to see each other more although they are living in different cities (Cuyahoga Falls and Tallmadge). 

When Paula and John find out where Don and Maryann are going next, they'll know where the next reunion will be.