George

George and Martha were married 52 years in 2006 when they moved to Trinity Community in Beavercreek, Ohio. When Martha passed away a few months later, George found himself living alone.

Having grown up on a farm, George had learned early and often the value of hard work. And he took that notion with him at every step in his life—when he served in the Navy, or when working on the railroad. It was direct, straightforward and productive.

At age 54, George sustained serious injuries after being hit head-on by an impaired driver. The accident literally stopped him in his tracks. After years of leveraging his work hard ethic into a satisfying career and lifestyle, George now had to learn how to be “disabled.” It really didn’t suit him. He knew how to work hard but didn’t know how to be disabled. It took multiple surgeries and gallant medical efforts to save his foot.

To keep himself busy, George began to volunteer. He started out at his church, and then moved on to other organizations in his community where people could benefit from his hard work. In 1993, he received the Miami County Outstanding Senior Citizens Award. He continued to work in the community for several years until Martha’s health began to decline. The couple had four children, all of whom became healthcare professionals.

His daughter, who is a professional pharmacist, recognized her parents needed more care and knew Trinity Community in Beavercreek, Ohio, offered quality care and compassionate services in an attractive retirement community setting. George visited and immediately liked what he saw, saying of Trinity’s 40-acre campus, “This reminds me of the farm.”

Today, no volunteer at Trinity works harder than George. He waters plants, counts the Sunday offerings, scrubs potatoes, polishes silver, leads games, and sets up and tears down for events. He always gets the job done with a smile, sprinkled with the witty banter that has become his trademark.

Adelle

Adelle grew up in Florida where she married an Air Force pilot. They were stationed in Dayton at Wright-Patterson AFB. For 20 years, she worked as a technical liaison/editor and marketing representative for Systems Research Laboratories, where she was recognized in 1981 as an Outstanding Performer for her leadership roles.

Beavercreek is where they raised their four children. After retiring to Punta Gorda, Florida, Adelle suffered through a time when her husband, two brothers, her mother and her oldest son all passed away within a few months of one another. She was riddled with sadness. When hurricane Charley decimated Adelle’s town in 2004, her children convinced her to move back to Ohio. Adelle visited Trinity and “it was love at first sight.”

Adelle’s philanthropic spirit is what motivates her to donate to Trinity. As one of Trinity’s most generous donors, she recently funded two golf carts for the Housekeeping staff who tend to the outlying cottages around campus, equipped with weatherproof liners. Adelle says, “My heart just went out to the staff when they were battling the elements, and I wanted to help make their jobs a little easier.”

George & Adelle

It didn’t take long for George to notice his attractive new neighbor, Adelle.

Hoping to spark her interest, he asked her to take a walk. Time and time again she told him, “No.” George’s pursuit eventually won her over. They started walking every day and grew to know each other while picking up leaves and sticks along the walkway. This volunteer activity forged a strong bond and deep friendship where they learned how much they enjoyed each other’s company.

Adelle shares, “Soon, we were spending all of our time together.” One day George said, “We sure could save a bunch of money if we moved in together.” Adelle agreed. After discussing the matter with their children, they received overwhelming encouragement and moved in together to a large, lovely apartment.

Now, George and Adelle work hard together volunteering. They are valued Trinity ambassadors and easily express their appreciation for the quality services and compassionate care they enjoy while having an abundant life in their retirement.

George always knew hard work pays off. His perseverance with Adelle resulted in them sharing a “room with a view” with their very best friend.

“We cherish the genuine love we have for each other,” said George. “It doesn’t get much better than that.”