A Tux, A Rose, And . . . Fishing?

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Thomas showed up to choir practice in a tuxedo, holding a red rose. One of his long-known choir members asked him...“Why are you so dressed up?”

“I’m fishing,” Thomas said mysteriously.

A short time later, Terri walked into the church during choir practice.

The two had met on CatholicMatch not long ago, and had several phone calls and emails between them. They’d planned on meeting, and Terri drove from Salem to Portland to meet Thomas. Thomas happened to be singing in the 5PM Saturday evening choir, and they planned to attend Mass together. And Terri arrived right during rehearsal! 

“He recognized me immediately when I entered the church, and came over to greet me in a tuxedo with a red rose in hand!” Terri recalls.

After Mass, the two went out to dinner to get to know each other better.

Thomas, always a lover of music and singing, gave her a CD copy of one of his performances years ago, as well. (Music and roses–this man knows the way to a woman’s heart!) As they walked back to Terri’s car together, the darkness made her concerned for her balance. 

“I had heels on so I just took his arm for support in case of rough ground. That touch was like electricity to him!” Terri laughs. Love knows no age, after all! She listed to Thomas singing on CD her entire drive home. “It was wonderful!”

During this first date, Terri had explained she would not be available during the entire month of June. She was going to the Special Olympics in Orlando to work with the athletes and would leave in just a week. Upon returning, she also would be traveling to Spain with her son and granddaughter for a fortnight!

But Thomas had other plans...

The very next weekend, right before Terry left for Orlando, Thomas drove to Salem to attend Mass at Terri’s Queen of Peace Church. (This gentleman just doesn’t stop, does he?!) After Mass, he accompanied Terri back to her house to drop off her car before heading out to dinner and a movie. While she was busy, Thomas met her son working outside, and they discovered a shared history of being in the Boy Scouts. 

“After I returned home from our date, my son said ‘Tom is a really nice man that you can trust,’” Terri says. A good stamp of approval from a family member!

Both Tom and Terri had lost their spouses. Tom had been widowed twice, actually–his first wife passed away fifteen years ago, and his second wife about one year ago. Terri’s husband had died 6 years ago. The two had a mutual understanding of what good marriages look like, as well as the heartache that comes with losing a beloved spouse. It is this shared history that currently is leading them to start a Griefshare group at their parish. 

“Tom was so patient and such a gentleman at all times that I fell in love with him very quickly!” Terri remembers.

First comes love, and then comes marriage!

The two became engaged and then married in 2022. They sing in the choir together now–perhaps Thomas still wears his tux?--and will be joining another choir too. 

“I tell everyone that asks how we met that we met on CatholicMatch!” Terry laughs. “Thank you for letting us meet each other!”

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