Some couples don’t tell their parents they are dating. In Karl and Carolyn Kronquist’s case, however, they didn’t tell their kids – at least not until they had begun planning their wedding.
Karl and his wife Julie, a teacher for visually impaired students, were married for 42 years before Julie passed away in 2016. Carolyn and her husband, Paul Hinckley, who owned the Dixie York Corporation, were married for 52 years before Paul died in 2021.
The two couples met when Carolyn and Paul joined Hendricks Avenue Baptist Church, and were friends for more than 20 years. A few years after their spouses passed, Karl and Carolyn were both invited to weekly Thursday night dinners at a mutual friend’s house in Miramar.
It soon became their routine to talk after dinner, and they quickly realized they really enjoyed being together.
“The first couple of times it was about half an hour, and then it morphed into an hour, and then an hour and a half,” Karl remembers.
One Saturday, Carolyn had Karl over and cooked him her favorite dish – shrimp orzo with basil. Afterward, he called to thank her, and the two talked for 13 hours, until 3 a.m.
“We thought we were past dating and all that … but the more you talk, the more your deepest thoughts, your morals, your values, your character, your wants, and that comes out, then you’re thinking, ‘Okay, I connect with this guy,’” said Carolyn.
The couple eventually realized they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together and began planning their wedding. They still hadn’t told anyone at church or even their families: Each has two children and four grandchildren, and Carolyn has two great-grandchildren.
“[My children] couldn’t imagine me with anyone other than their father, but they’ve come around in these four months – everybody is on board,” Carolyn said.
Karl and Carolyn were married in November 2025 at Jacksonville Beach by their minister, the Rev. Chelsea Weise, beginning their life together.
Before meeting Carolyn, Karl’s wide-ranging career took him across multiple businesses and industries, culminating as a financial consultant director working with clients such as Oracle, Sun Microsystems, and Ernst & Young.
In his free time, he enjoyed sailing and competed nine straight years in the Mug Race, a 38.5-mile sailing race from Palatka to the Buckman Bridge that claims to be the world’s longest river race. His passion for sailing began as a boy; he mowed lawns and biked paper routes until he could buy his first sailboat at age 10.
“My father asked me why I wanted to buy the boat, and I said, ‘because I’m the captain,’ no smile,” said Karl with a laugh.
Meanwhile, Carolyn has owned two businesses, including a shoe store in San Marco Square called Barefoot in the Park, which she owned with her best friend Linda Cook. Since 2005, she has also been involved with Volunteers in Medicine, a clinic that serves the uninsured, and received the organization’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2023.
Karl and Carolyn are also active members of HAB, the organization that brought them together. Karl played a key role in the major renovation of the HAB baseball fields in 2000, while Carolyn and a friend started a support group for widows called the Sisterhood of Survivors, and both still help cook Wednesday night suppers for the church. Their faith has always been an important part of their lives, conversations, and relationships.
“As we look back on our lives, we see that God has led us and guided us every step of the way,” Carolyn said. “And now as we look ahead, we pray for our Lord to lead us to love more and be a light to those in need.”
The couple enjoys traveling and is currently planning trips to Alaska and Canada. Around the neighborhood, you might see them at one of their favorite restaurants: the Loop, Mr. Gordo’s in Lakewood, and on special occasions, Oceana in the Square. Other times, they are content to watch an old movie together or take a walk in Alexandria Oaks Park.
Whatever they are up to and wherever they are, Karl and Carolyn are just happy to be together, and there is always sure to be lots of conversation and laughter between them.
