Trinity Springs resident Jacquie Ralph says her love story with her husband Gordon Ralph is like a fairy tale. What started as a chance meeting turned into a romantic journey together.
From Milwaukee to Vienna with Love
Their initial encounter at a Rotary Club meeting in Milwaukee may not have seemed romantic, but it set the stage for a beautiful love story.
A few months after meeting in late 1993, Gordon bought a raffle ticket while the couple was at a fundraising dinner and dance. Days after the event, he received a phone call informing him that he had won the grand prize of a trip to Vienna.
Gordon tricked Jacquie into accompanying him on what was supposed to be a business trip to Orlando. She knew something was up when they were eating dinner at Cinderella’s castle at Disney World. He proposed then and there, complete with a diamond ring and the most exquisite roses Jackie had ever seen. That was June 8, they married August 7, and they took that trip to Vienna as a three-week honeymoon.
Ten years later, they won another trip to Europe and danced at an exclusive ball at a palace in Vienna.
Relationship Advice
“First of all, you have to have a great friendship,” Jacquie says about the foundation of a successful relationship.
She emphasizes listening and being patient with each other.
“People don’t always do what you want them to do,” Jacquie says. “They may not pick up their socks or hang their clothes right. There are lots of things to be patient about.”
And, even if something does bother you, she says not to let it bother you for too long.
“You never let something you feel go to the next day,” Jacquie says. “You settle it, sleep on it and wake up the next day and start again.”
Happy at Trinity Springs
Jacquie and Gordon first bought a home in Florida in 2005. They sold their home in Milwaukee to move to Florida full time about six or seven years later.
Fittingly, they learned about Trinity Springs through a Rotary Club connection. They moved into the assisted living community in 2023.
Jacquie especially appreciates the activities and culinary staff.
“We have a great activities department,” she says. “They are just remarkable people. They do a lot of great stuff. We’ve got a great chef.”
She adds that she is thankful for the nice, helpful, kind and caring people who make Trinity Springs the community it is.
“It’s a good place to land at this time of life,” Jacquie says. “It’s phenomenal.”