Love Rekindled at CU's Homecoming
For most Buffs, Homecoming is a celebration of friendship, college memories and campus life. But forLaura Williams(A&S ex’87) andRandy Royther (Econ’88), CU Boulder’s Homecoming sparked something special — a rekindled love story.
It all began in the fall of 1984. Williams, part of the Delta Gamma sorority, met Royther at a college party.
“He flung open the door and said, ‘Hello, I’m home,’” Williams recalled with a laugh. “I thought, ‘Who is that? I’m interested.’”
The spark was instant. They dated throughout their sophomore year until things got too serious for then-20-year-old Royther.
“When she mentioned marriage potential, I panicked and broke it off,” he said.
Heartbroken, Williams transferred to San Diego State, leaving Boulder and Royther behind.
They lost touch for over 30 years. At Homecoming in 2017, Royther and Williams ran into each other at a tailgate party.
“All of a sudden, someone says, ‘Randy Royther, are you really going to walk by and not say hello?’” Royther recalled.
It was Williams. The couple still had friends in common and spent the weekend with their old college crew. At that time, both were still married. But in 2019, the couple attended Homecoming again. One was widowed, and the other was divorcing. This time, their reunion developed into more than just friendship.
“We looked at each other and said, ‘Should we try this again?’” Williams said.
They’ve been together since and got engaged this past March.
They live on separate coasts, with Royther residing in Pennsylvania and Williams living in California. The couple frequently makes trips to visit each other.
“We already have plans for Homecoming this year,” Williams said. “It’s where we fell in love — twice.”
Plan your visit forHomecoming 2025, Oct. 30–Nov. 1, and see how your Buffs story unfolds.
Photos courtesy Randy Royther and Laura Williams