After spending quarantine together, two Iowa City seniors get married during pandemic

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) - The pandemic has kept many people apart, but it’s what brought an 82 and 75-year-old in Iowa City closer together.

Warren Paris and Jerri MacConnell met in a class at the Iowa City Senior Center four years ago.

“I had no intention of being in a relationship at my age,” says Jerri MacConnell.

She tells TV-9 her and Warren were just friends until she offered to dog sit for him in October of 2019.

“Sure enough, that’s how it all started,” Warren says.

“Well he came to get his dog and he never really left,” Jerri laughed.

It’s earned their dog Ginger quite the nickname.

“The match maker,” Warren calls her.

As the pandemic got underway restrictions were going to keep them apart, starting at Jerri’s apartment.

“You could only have a visitor for two weeks and no more than 60 days in a year and I was like well that won’t work,” Jerri told us.

They also ran into obstacles as they tried to visit each other in the hospital.

“He and I each had hospitalizations during that past year,” Jerri says.

“It was easier just to get married and know that we would be with each other,” says Warren.

Surviving quarantine together, they knew together is where they wanted to be.

“You just kind of say ah-ha, this is it,” Warren told us.

A pandemic couldn’t keep them a part, or from having a ceremony to seal the deal.

“I wanted a crown of flowers and I got it,” Jerry says.

Eight people gathered to celebrate with them. Warren’s son was by his side and Jerri’s daughter stood by hers.

“I said in my vow, I first saw him with my eyes but as we got to know each other more I began to see him with my heart,” Jerry told us.

They sealed their vows with a kiss and a promise to be together for all their days yet to come.

“We agreed forever and I think that’s, that’s one of the key elements that we had,” Warren says.

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