Jody, 68, was married to a wonderful man for nearly 30 years. They had three children and lived a happy life in Arizona. When he died 22 years ago from a massive stroke, it broke her heart. She moved to North Carolina, and about six years ago, she decided to try out CatholicMatch.com, along with some other dating sites. Unfortunately, she didn't click with anyone she met. Despite wanting a new relationship, she didn't have time: She was too busy taking care of her children and grandchildren who had been hit hard by the recession. Her best friend was concerned for her, and she told Jody that she needed to start taking care of herself.
Jody decided to start with focusing on her health. She was struggling with being overweight, so she had bariatric surgery and entered a weight management program in September 2014. As she experienced success with her health, her self-confidence improved. In July 2015, she felt compelled to give CatholicMatch.com another chance. "I was on my iPad one day, and I found myself on CatholicMatch! I wondered how much it would cost to join for just one month," Jody recalled.
Six years later, she liked CatholicMatch.com better
Jody liked the newer format of CatholicMatch better than the one in use six years ago. She found it was easier to see pictures and read profiles. It was important to her to find another Catholic, so she decided not to try other sites this time. She signed up on CatholicMatch, trusting that if the Holy Spirit was leading her, she'd find the person meant for her. "I wanted to share my Faith and have it mean as much to the one I dated as my Faith means to me," Jody said.
While looking through profiles, she found Jerry, 73. His picture captivated her. He was standing by his fireplace, dressed in a suit, and she immediately thought he was handsome. She appreciated all the information he provided in his profile, which included his many interests.
His wife of 51 years had passed away the year before, and he felt he was ready to marry again. She had misgivings about a second marriage, but she was delighted when he gave her an online wink.
"She said she wasn't interested in marriage, but I decided to take a chance," Jerry confessed. He liked that she was a
country girl who loved to dance. He also appreciated that she was in Haysville, NC, just 45 minutes from his home in Blueridge, GA. He had been hoping to find someone close by.
Showered with roses
After a month of messages and phone calls, Jerry and Jody decided to meet halfway at a favorite seafood restaurant in August 2015. "He opened my car door and greeted me with yellow roses," Jody affectionately recalled. "Yellow roses mean friendship." This was important to her because friendship with romantic love had been a central aspect in her first marriage. Also, as Jody would find out later, Jerry had a special devotion to St. Thérèse de Lisieux just as she did. She said, "Everyone knows that when you get roses, they are from St. Thérèse."
Jody and Jerry were enamored with one another as they talked during their lunch. They talked about everything for nearly three hours, until the restaurant staff had to ask them to leave so they could prepare for the dinner crowd. Jody messaged Jerry as soon as she returned home to thank him. He messaged back, and the two have talked every day since then.
Communion brought tears
Jerry had the same priorities as Jody about the Catholic Faith, which was the main reason he chose to use CatholicMatch.com. He knew from experience how important Catholicism is in a relationship. He wanted to be sure that anyone he dated would be a serious Catholic. He said, "My Catholic Faith is so important to me that I knew I would only be satisfied with a woman of my Faith."
Jody and Jerry are both active in their parishes. Jody has been a lector and an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, and she is currently teaching a baptism class to two Down syndrome children. Jerry is a fourth degree Knight of Columbus and an usher. They love going to Mass. The first time they had communion together, they were moved to tears.
Along with sharing the Faith, they also enjoy dancing, camping, and fishing. They like being active together, but they also enjoy taking time to cuddle during a movie. Jody says she is constantly impressed by how considerate Jerry is when they are together. "After being single for 22 years, I had to get used to not being so independent and to let him be a gentleman," Jody admits.
The big four
Jody fell in love with Jerry almost right away. It took Jerry longer to confess his feelings, but once he decided she
was the one, he was ready to make a commitment. They talked through various concerns about the future. They used principles from Marriage Encounter to discuss the "Big Four": finances, sex, death, and religion. They explored possible obstacles and the feelings of children and grandchildren.
Jerry had a serious family discussion with his children about his relationship with Jody. After which, his son called Jody to welcome her into the family. "I just started bawling," Jody said about her reaction to the phone call. "I didn't want to walk on eggshells or worry about resentment. It is so much better to be clear and upfront."
I'm 67, and I'm engaged!
The couple became engaged during Christmas, four months after their first face-to-face meeting. Jody had gone over to Jerry's house where he had candles lit and romantic music playing. He got down on one knee to propose. "He put the ring on my finger, and I thought, 'I'm engaged! I'm 67 years old, and I'm engaged!'" Jody joyfully recalled how perfect Jerry's proposal was.
Family and friends have been very supportive of Jody and Jerry in their relationship. A few people have expressed concern o
ver how quickly their relationship progressed. Jody, however, happily says, "When you're nearly 68 and 74, it's not too soon. When you've been married a total of 80 years between the two of you, you've pretty much been through everything you can go through." Jerry said, "I was filled with love when she said yes. If you really want something, go for it!"
Making romance thrive
Jerry and Jody know too well that life cannot be taken for granted. They both lost their spouses to massive strokes after struggling with other health issues. Their experiences with grief bring them closer together, and they are understanding with one another about the different emotional triggers that mourning brings. They know that life is fragile and that tomorrow is never guaranteed.
The couple hopes they have at least another 10-15 years together. "We laugh and have fun. He
can make me laugh, and I can make him laugh. If we can make our final years happy together, then we are very blessed," Jody chuckles. They had a small wedding. Jody wore a beautiful mauve formal dress. Family and friends gathered to celebrate with them.
"Without CatholicMatch.com, we would have never met. I had no reason to go to Blueridge, and he didn't have a reason to go to Haysville. After all, we weren't going to go bar hopping!" Jody laughed. The couple is grateful they never gave up looking and that Jody felt that Divine nudge to try CatholicMatch one more time.
Wedding Photographs by Georgina Gomez Photography
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