SAN DIEGO — CBS 8's legendary reporter, Larry Himmel was well known for sharing love and laughter in every story he told. In this Zevely Zone, I met the lucky Oceanside couple Larry performed a wedding ceremony for in 2005.
Randy Stoppelmoor and his wife Edwina Douglas recently attended the San Diego County Fair where the couple spotted our CBS 8 pop up newsroom. The longtime viewers filled out a story request and asked if they could see the story they did with Larry Himmel seventeen years ago. We were immediately married to the idea!
On Valentine's Day in 2005, Larry Himmel was officially sworn in at the County Administration Building.
He was given the power to perform a wedding and went looking for love birds. "Larry approached us and asked us if we wanted to do a segment," said Randy. "I thought it seems like fun and you know it will be something that we can remember," said Edwina..
As the couple headed for the altar that day, Larry was asked which robe he wanted to wear. Red for Valentine's Day. Black for formal. White for purity. "Well, I am way behind white," quipped Larry who picked the black robe.
I interview Randy and Edwina at the County Administration Building where they told me they are loyal CBS 8 viewers. "Yes, Oh absolutely," they said. A few weeks ago, when Edwina and Randy spotted our pop-up newsroom at the fair, they filled out a form asking if they could once again, see their special story.
"I wanted to get the clips," said Edwina. We brought the story on a laptop for them to watch and also copied the stories on flash drive they could keep forever. We watched the story together.
Larry asked the couple in 2005, "First time married on television?" They responded, "Oh definitely." Larry then performed the ceremony. "Please turn to face one another, hold both hands and repeat after me, Randy, I take you Edwina," said Larry. After exchanging the vows Larry then said, "From this day forward by the authority vested in me as Deputy Commissioner of Civil Marriages in and for the County of San Diego I take the pleasure in announcing that from this day forward you are husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride."
Larry then worked his magic and surprised the newlyweds with a wedding gift. "It is a one-night stay at the Hotel Del and dinner for two at the Prince of Wales room which was judged the most romantic restaurant in San Diego," said Larry.
"That was awesome because at that time, we didn't have money to go to the Hotel Del," said Edwina. One year later, in 2006, on the eve of their first anniversary, Larry met the happy couple for a follow up story. "It was a beautiful day. I thought it was a beautiful day meeting you," the couple said at the time.
Edwina and Randy told Larry they had spent their first year married mostly apart. Randy was deployed in the Army. Edwina was a scientist and faced her own challenge. "I lost my job. I had been laid off from my job," said Edwina.
Leave it to Larry to drop another love bomb. "I'd like you guys to do dinner at Donovan's Steak and Chop House compliments of KFMB," said Larry. The couple was elated. "Thank you," they said.
"That was awesome too," Edwina told me. Their ceremony in 2005 was a second marriage for both Edwina and Randy and it stuck. "We are very happy, everything is going great," said the couple. It's been a marriage made in heaven which is just where they suspect Larry is smiling down on them. "He is probably watching this segment right now. That's right," said Edwina and Randy.
On the day Edwina and Randy got married, another reporter from a different television station asked he could perform their wedding ceremony. The couple declined but couldn't refuse Larry's proposal.
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