Happy Valentine's Day! We hope you are able to share love and kindness to one another today. Read a few sweetheart stories from Warrior Alum-mates who met and fell in love with their partner during their Crete-Monee High School days:
Tyler Hill, 05' and Krista Turey, 07'
Tyler Hill and Krista Turey met in the hallways of Crete-Monee High School in 2005. Krista's locker was next to one of Tyler's classes, U.S. History, with Mr. Hayhurst, the prior year in 2004. Before ever talking, they would just smile at each other.
In the very classic way of high school relationships, Tyler's friend was dating one of Krista's friends, so they were set up for their first date ironically on Valentine's Day in 2005 and celebrate their 19 year dating anniversary this Valentine's Day. They attended 3 Crete-Monee proms together, passed notes to each other in the hallways, and met up in the dome parking lot.
They married in 2016 and have two children named Hazel and Harrison.
Andrew Schissler, 00' and Amy Greene Schissler, 00'
Andy and Amy met in December of their senior year at the annual Crete Country Christmas Parade. They went on their first date the following January and dated the rest of their senior year of high school. Andrew played football and participated in wrestling at CMHS. They had their first kiss after a wrestling meet where Amy came to watch him. It was a winter storm, and they shared their first kiss in the dome parking lot after the meet. They also attended their senior prom together. Amy wore his letterman jacket for most of her senior year and in her college years too. They still have that letterman jacket and her high school son even fits in it! They enjoyed many memories together at CMHS.
They continued dating while they pursued college degrees, and they both graduated in 2003. After college graduation, they bought a small house in Park Forest. Amy started working at the Early Learning Center as a Teacher's Assistant in 2006, and they married in May 2007. They have two children, both of whom attended the Early Learning Center and Coretta Scott King Magnet School. Their kids loved their time at CSK so much that they sent Principal Mane a Christmas card after they moved away. Their son has played baseball for CAYSBA in Crete and soccer for the Crete Park District. In 2022, they purchased their forever home in Lowell, Indiana. Amy currently works at the Early Learning Center; their kids are 14 and 12 years old.
Corey Buckner, '96 and Tamekia (Blount) Buckner, '95
Corey and Tamekia initially met in 1994; she was going into her senior year, and he was going into his junior year, both at CMHS. They spent the summer and the following year together but not actually "dating." They both sang together in the gospel choir. After Tamekia graduated in 1995, they stayed in touch for a few years but eventually lost touch.
Over time, they married other people, had kids, and reconnected over 20 years later while they both were going through divorce. Since reconnecting, a fairytale romance that neither of them would have ever imagined started to blossom. Today, Tamekia is a school teacher, and Corey is a Marketing & Technology Director. They have been together for almost 8 years and married for 5 years.
Tom Lafferty, 96' and Kelly Anderson Lafferty, 96'
Picture this: the dome, 1995-1996 school year, early bird P.E. class senior year, neither athletic, and the rolled wrestling mats in the dome became "their" spot. Kelly was college-bound, art-loving, and academic. Tom was hard-working, career-minded, and couldn't wait to be done with high school. The two never shared a class as their paths were so different. It was P.E. class and their overwhelming disgust for physical activity that early in the morning, which made the conversation so easy.The universe worked overtime to bring these two together. Their dads not only knew each other but had many mutual friends. Even a couple of silly fundraisers run by the class of 1997 tried to show them the path to forever. Kelly still has the old dot matrix printouts from the Valentine’s Match Computer Fun. Valentine’s Day of 1995, Tom was listed as her #10 match. He catapulted to her #1 Valentine’s Day match by February of 1996.
It wasn’t until a trip to DC’s Country Junction in Lowell, Indiana, following Kelly’s graduation party in June 1996, that these two gave in to the inevitable. Tom saved Kelly from an unwelcome dance invitation, and he’s been saving her ever since. A friendship built on a solid foundation of sarcasm and country music became a relationship that has lasted for almost 28 years!
Tom and Kelly were married in Monee in May of 2000. They welcomed two sons, Jack, in 2002, and Joshua, in 2005. Jack, CMHS Class of ‘21, and Joshua, CMHS Class of ‘23, are third-generation Warriors, following their maternal grandpa, paternal grandma, and parents. Today, Tom is the Branch Manager for City Electric Supply in Lynwood, Illinois. Kelly is a 3rd Grade Teacher at Crete Elementary School.
Doug Sampognaro, 03' and Becky Schuldt Sampognaro, 03'
Doug and Becky met in 2000 as freshmen while attending CMHS. They had a couple of classes together and attended all the school dances from freshman to senior year of high school. In their senior year, the student body voted them "most likely to get married," and they were correct. Doug and Becky married in 2008. They have been together for 24 years and have two kids.
Becky is a Kindergarten Teacher at Monee Elementary, having taught there for the past 16 years, and Doug is a mechanic in Frankfort, IL. They would never have met and started their love story if it wasn't for CMHS.
Thank you to our Sweetheart Warrior Alum-mates for sharing their stories!
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