Dallas and Fort Worth's most notable couples
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Bank robber Bonnie Parker aims a shotgun at her partner, Clyde Barrow, while clowning in the early 1930s. Photo: American Stock/Getty Images
Love — for better or worse — has shaped North Texas.
Why it matters: Valentine's Day is a perfect time to look at the couples who have made history in Dallas-Fort Worth.
- Some have their names etched on the side of concert halls, others have fought for equal rights.
What they're saying: Dallas retailer Stanley Marcus once wrote his wife, Mary "Billie" Cantrell, about how depressed he felt being away from his family during World War II.
- "But maybe the sun will shine this week, but whether it does or not I'll be thinking of you," Marcus wrote.
Reality check: Not every love story is inspiration. Some North Texas couples are remarkable for how horribly their relationships ended.
- From outlaws to reality TV stars to philanthropists, here are some of the most intriguing North Texas couples:
Infamous duos
Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow are likely the most famous Dallas couple of all. They took their love on the road, robbing banks and gas stations.
- They were killed by officers in 1934 in Louisiana. People still frequent Parker's West Dallas grave.
Fort Worth oil tycoon Cullen Davis and his wife, Priscilla Davis, may have once loved each other, but their relationship ended in one of the area's most notorious murder trials.
- Their divorce was pending in 1976, when Priscilla's boyfriend and daughter were killed in her mansion. Priscilla, who was wounded in the attack, claimed her estranged husband was the perpetrator. He was acquitted.
Public service
Former President George W. Bush and Laura Bush raised their daughters in Dallas until he was elected governor and moved back in 2009 after they left the White House.
- The couple instantly liked each other when they met in 1977 in Midland. She said, "He liked to talk, and I liked to listen." They plan to be buried at his presidential library at SMU.
Civil rights leader Adelfa Botello Callejo and her husband, Bill, went to SMU together and later established a law firm, often taking immigration cases.
- They donated to their alma mater to establish a Latino Studies Institute, and a Dallas elementary school is named after her.
Sports
Dallas Mavs legend Dirk Nowitzki met Jessica Olsson at a charity event in 2010. They have three children together.
- They had a traditional Kenyan wedding organized by Olsson's mom, who is Kenyan.
Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo and Candice Crawford have been married for more than a decade. They have three children.
Pop culture
Gospel singer Kirk Franklin and his wife, Tammy, share their advice for a long marriage on the dating show "The One."
Model Bella Hadid and horseman Adan Banuelos live in Fort Worth. The model met the cowboy, who trains in Weatherford for cutting horse events, at a horse show.
Reality stars Alexa Alfia and Brennon Lemieux met on the Dallas season of "Love Is Blind." They had their first baby last year.
Big breakups
Dallas singer Erykah Badu and André 3000's split served as inspiration to Outkast's "Ms. Jackson."
- They have a son together and remain friends. Badu joined André onstage during his Dallas show in September.
Fort Worth billionaire Sid Bass' divorce from Anne Bass in the 1980s was one of the most expensive breakups at the time. Anne Bass reportedly got as much as $500 million in the agreement.
- Sid Bass went on to marry his mistress, Mercedes. They remained together until 2011.