Joseph Rezek was born in Wayne, Nebraska and grew up in Worthington, Minnesota. Margaret Pendleton was born and raised in Lawrence, Kansas. Through a few twists of fate and a handful of mutual friends, the two met in Manhattan, Kansas while attending Kansas State University in 2009.

Their friendship began with casual backyard BBQs and K-State sporting events and soon blossomed into a deeper connection. Fueled by a shared love for the great outdoors, their early days were less about candlelit dinners and more about adventures in nature. You would often find them trekking through the Tallgrass Prairie or Kansas River Valley, eyes peeled for the elusive morel, or casting lures into local lakes, hoping for a bite from a hungry bass. While in school, the couple dated for nearly two years. As great as those two years were, they acknowledged they were going in different directions and went separate ways to pursue their own careers.

But their story together was nowhere near an end. They remained friends, even inviting each other to birthday celebrations and other reunions with friends. They always knew the sparks were there, but the distance between where the two lived seemed insurmountable.

Fast forward to March 2020, when the world shut down due to the global pandemic. With newfound time to spend on the phone, they started talking even more regularly. Becoming increasingly isolated, Joe convinced Margaret to make the three-hour drive from Manhattan to Shenandoah, Iowa for Memorial Day weekend. They soon found themselves in a long-distance relationship, alternating nearly every weekend on the road. After thousands of miles traveled and too many weekdays spent apart, Joe FINALLY proposed to Margaret on June 30, 2024 and moved to Manhattan in the Spring of 2025.

The Proposal

The proposal was as perfectly “them” as it could possibly get. It was a fittingly beautiful night; Margaret was scheduled to attend a charity event near one of their favorite fishing lakes and Joe was down for the weekend. With boat in tow, it was the perfect opportunity for an “impromptu” fishing trip. As the sun was setting, Joe asked Margaret if she would like to try a new “fishing lure” that he had recently bought. Begrudgingly, she accepted and turned around to find Joe on one knee, with a beautiful ring in his outstretched hand. He popped the question, and she said YES!