Melinda French was a native of Dallas and, like Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, had attended private schools. She went on to earn both undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer sciences and business from Duke University. Her abilities led Microsoft to offer her an entry-level management job while still in graduate school.

Gates, a Seattle native, had already made his name as cofounder of Microsoft when he met French. The two dated off and on for five years before announcing their engagement in March 1993. At this time, French was product unit manager for Microsoft Publisher.

In this image, Bill Gates and Melinda French enjoy one another’s company at a basketball game between the Seattle Sonics (Supersonics) and the Portland Blazers (Trail Blazers). The couple had just announced their engagement.

Caption information source: “’It’s a fine match”, agree friends of Gates and French”, by Jim Erickson and James Wallace, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, March 25, 1993, pages A1, A12.