Roses in Full Bloom!
by Northern Life
The couple were married at Colne Town Hall—proof that love truly does bloom again
Fate works in quiet, unexpected ways. In August 2023, Lancashire lad Alan McEwen met Karen, from Rotherham on Morecambe Bay Pier. Both were grieving deep losses—Alan had lost his wife of 18 years, Christine, to cancer in 2020. Karen, had also lost her husband, Ralph, of 44 years, to the same cruel illness.
What began as a chance meeting quickly blossomed into something more. Within weeks, Alan and Karen became inseparable, united by a new sense of joy and purpose. Karen now works alongside Alan in his business, Dandelion Stone Troughs, based in Cowling on the Lancashire and Yorkshire border. There, they create beautiful, upcycled planters from reclaimed stone, giving forgotten items new life.
Their connection is rooted in optimism. As Alan says, “Life can appear rather short, but I don’t believe this at all. We will live long and happy lives.”
On Monday, 12th May, the couple were married at Colne Town Hall—proof that love truly does bloom again (even if they are from different counties!).
NorthernLife June/July/Aug 25
