11/10/2025
Serendipity brought Bob B. and Donna (née R.) together.
They owe their enduring, inspiring, and entertaining love story to a double date and a dog.
When her date walked Donna to the door, the family’s protective German Shepherd growled and barked -and spooked the young man.
Bob and his date watched the entire drama play out. He later grabbed the opportunity to befriend the dog -and get the girl.
Sixty- three years later, their love story continues. Along the way both Bob and Donna have checked off all the boxes. They have worked as a team to maintain a faith-based life. They have created a tightly-knit (and ever-growing) family. Together they have paid bills, lost loved ones -and navigated formidable health challenges.
They are truly awake to their mortality -and grateful for each new day together.
Donna, a twin, is one of five children born to Amos and Norma R. of Miller City, Ohio. She misses both the pace of life and the connection to nature that farm life afforded her.
Her love affair with farming ends there: she is quick to share that she does NOT miss milking forty-three cows each day.
Her love of books began early on. She recalls that as a child she would slip under her brother’s bed to steal some time to read. Playing “kick the can” and “Annie, Annie Over” brought joy. Cousins romped outdoors while their parents played cards inside.
Bob, one of eight children born to Vic and Ruth B. of Ottawa, actually lived the cliché of traveling both ways uphill to and from his Saints Peter and Paul. He credits a child’s chemistry set he received one Christmas for sparking his interest in science. The kit came with a vial of mercury as well as other toxic and reactive materials. For a boy who worked alongside his dad installing water softeners, it piqued his interest in learning new skills and troubleshooting obstacles.
A country boy, he also did his share of farm work. His fondest memories of childhood include his family praying the rosary together each evening. Nothing topped a trip to his grandmother’s, though, as she would treat them to “the best sugar cookies” and orange pop.
Bob shakes his head in disbelief when he shares the daredevil antics he and his young friends survived while in the woods on “suicide hill,” a local haunt. A sharp 20’ drop could have sent them free falling into the creek below.
Tall and athletic, Bob enjoyed his high school days of shooting hoops.
Just two days after graduating from Ottawa High School, he started a job at a local factory, only to seek work elsewhere. He would ultimately return to his initial employer and work his way up.
Both Bob and Donna found true love young. “When I laid eyes on Donna, I just knew.”
She nods and smiles, as the connection was mutual.
Together they enjoyed “cutting a rug” -and their courtship included attending open dances after weddings. Both miss the ease and joy of dancing, as moving together across the dance floor was “their thing.”
In a surprising turn of events, Bob’s old girlfriend called him the night after he proposed to Donna. Having fallen out of touch, she asked him to her college’s Sadie Hawkins dance.
Bob, of course, declined.
In 1964 Bob and Donna would lead the dancing at their own reception. Their wedding Mass at Sts. Peter and Paul Parish was followed by a lively reception at The Legion.
Once on their honeymoon, the couple circled back to pick up one of Bob’s sisters. They wanted her to experience a trip away, something members of farm families rarely experienced.
Bob and Donna’s story reads like most from that time period. They started life in a house trailer, pinched pennies, and ultimately built a ranch-style house. They did much of the work themselves with the advice and sweat equity of family.
Once their first child was born, a new baby arrived every two years. For a brief period they even “fostered” a monkey that Bob’s brother had adopted. Donna’s eyes widen as she recalls the nightmare of trying to give that scrappy, vocal monkey a bath in their kitchen sink.
For Bob and Donna those years raising their family were their happiest. They were a team, working hard, raising five children, stretching paychecks, and building their own legacies.
No one went hungry in their house as there was a garden to supplement the food budget. They spent countless hours canning. An annual Labor Day gathering with extended family saw both adults and children working together, butchering and preparing over 300 chickens for their freezers.
Life brought so many adventures and laughs.
One Christmas they opted for a real tree. Donna had fallen asleep on the couch nearby, only to wake up to the sensation of tiny spiders crawling all over her. The tree was infested with them. The scream she let out had Bob running to her aid -and sent him hurtling the tree out the door. A tired aluminum tree with tangled tinsel took its place.
Managing home life, overseeing school work -and attending extracurricular activities made up the routines of their lives.
Donna, a skilled seamstress, sewed most of their clothes and patiently taught their oldest daughter to sew a dress for her 4-H project. Bob worked long hours. Donna, in turn, made their house a welcoming and happy home.
Summers meant joy-filled camping trips to Pokagon State Park, three or four day trips that the family fondly remembers.
All five children would benefit from the structure of their home life. They excelled in school -and proved to be solid athletes. The oldest daughter even earned a full-ride scholarship to college.
When asked who gave their children their athleticism, Bob quickly offers, “Donna must have because I still have mine.” All five children ultimately earned college degrees and found fulfillment in their own families and careers.
Donna worked several jobs until landing a position at the library. The little girl who loved books got to be the woman who recommended them to others.
Somewhere along the way, though, their beautifully normal existence was replaced by a gnawing fear of the unknown.
At forty Donna received a devastating diagnosis at a routine eye exam. She had an uphill battle to wage against a progressive condition. Bob resolved to do whatever he could to keep her disease at bay and to support her.
From getting Vitamin D by sunbathing in the winter -to changing out all their diets by eliminating sugar and flour, Donna fought the progression without complaint.
She secretly hated not being able to dance anymore. She missed the hours she once spent outdoors tending her vegetable garden and roses. She missed the books and her job at the library.
Yet, she pushed herself to do what she could, as long as she could.
Once, frustrated that her daughter was late helping her decorate for the holidays, Donna took matters into her own hands.
When her daughter arrived, she was shocked to find Donna carrying a 3’ wreath up from the basement while wielding her walker in the other hand.
In retrospect Donna’s health challenges brought the family closer. Her changing condition necessitated that Bob retire from his position in heavy die maintenance. Even now, as he faces his own health battles, Bob remains focused on his bride. She in turn, watches over him.
Every day the two sit side- by-side in their recliners, taking in Donna’s favorite shows. She laughs as he tosses out his commentary. Around them are reminders of Donna’s incredible skill as a needle-pointer.
When prompted to share, Bob reaches for his computer and locates photos of his favorite hobby. His incredible prowess as a knifesmith is nothing short of awe-inspiring.
In this season of their lives, the couple finds their greatest joy in their thirteen grandchildren and (soon-to-be) seventeen great-grandchildren.
The Meadows of Ottawa is blessed to witness their love story, a powerful and enduring lesson in selflessness and commitment.
These days Bob masterfully uses his mobility device to nudge and maneuver Donna and her wheelchair up and down hallways to rosary, Mass, and meals. They work together to maintain their independence.
As they weave, stop, and back into place, the two are merely continuing their dance. They do so masterfully, with incredible grace -and in perfect harmony.
