Written by Michele


George and I met in spring of 1983 at Saint Clouds Commons. We were both there for practice, George for St. Joe’s baseball and I for Vinson tennis. Our mutual friend and my tennis partner Monica, wanted to watch baseball after we finished our practice. After baseball concluded, George came up to say hello to Monica and we met. Afterward, he followed us to Westmoreland to ask for my phone number. We dated for about six months.


Fast forward 38 years. I did not know George had joined the family business, but when my mom died on home hospice, he came to take care of her. In planning mom’s service, my sister Brenda made sure we exchanged numbers. She and my mom had wanted us to get back together for many years, even though I lived in Delaware, 7.5 hours away.


We kept in touch over that next year. After my dad’s stroke, I was in Huntington to help and we decided to get together to catch up. Because of my dad’s condition, I was in Huntington a lot over the next year and half and we were able to spend time together.


August 13, 2022, we had a weekend planned in Cincinnati. The week had been unusually stressful and I was looking forward to our weekend getaway that we had planned months in advance. The plan was to revisit Sotto restaurant and catch a Reds game. George proposed at the restaurant and the weekend could not have been more perfect.


George was able to ask my dad’s blessing a month before he passed. I know my parents and his father are smiling down on our wedding.