Read Love Stories From Illinois Patch Readers On Valentine's Day

ACROSS ILLINOIS — There's no better time to read a good story about true love than on Valentine's Day. Luckily, these Illinois Patch readers have got you covered.

We asked our readers to share their personal love stories and the response was overwhelming. The stories you are about to read offer moving glimpses into lives that have been touched by love and undeniably changed for the better. May their happiness, hope and humanity fill your hearts this Valentine's Day.

Roger and Geri Beck

Debbie Beck writes, "Roger and Geri Beck have been Valentines for more than 60 years. They are blessed with two children, three grandchildren and three grand-puppies. Their love has taken them from Illinois to Alaska to Georgia and many other states. Their secret to a long marriage is God, communication and always going out of their way to be loving to each other."

Toussaint and Angela Smith

Toussaint writes, "In my mind, it feels like it was a couple of years ago. It was early afternoon when I received a phone call from my older sister, telling me about her company's party that was occurring the next evening and wanted to know if I was interested in going. At the age of 29, parties were very high on my activity list. It was a Friday night and as a single bachelor, I put on my best dress to impress, because you never know when the right one would show up.

When we arrived, I was expecting a bunch of stuffy employees sitting around the tables with their besties trying to make it through the evening, but to my surprise, there was a real party going on with a band, DJ, and a floor full of party folks.

We quickly found a table, sat, and I personally began to assess my surroundings and started selfishly checking my personal checklist - who was attractive, single and ready to mingle. The party was in full effect and very crowded. I was thankful that the lights were dim, but bright enough to see everyone.

As we sat stationary for about 30 minutes, for entertainment my sister began to point out the various people that she worked with in the crowd and of course some of their good and bad characteristics. Gossip was in full effect. Then, it was like the crowd parted like the Red Sea and a spotlight was lit. I looked up and saw Angela walking directly towards our table. Before I could open my mouth and ask, 'Who is that?!' my sister said, 'You don't want her; she is a spoiled brat.' My ears heard what my sister said, but my brain had already registered what later my mouth would speak - 'I can handle a spoiled brat.'

As Angela was approaching our table, I did notice that she was accompanied by a date, but all I saw was her walking in the parted crowd. My sister and Angela greeted one another with a hug and I was introduced to both Angela and her date 'what's his name' because in my eyes it was just Angela and the spotlight that shone on her. Here is the funny part: Angela and I never danced or spoke that evening but for the rest of that night, whether I was on the dance floor or sitting at the table, my eyes found Angela. I eventually told my sister that evening, "I think I have found my wife."

For the next three months, life continued and the office party and Angela appeared to be just another night in my life, but fate had other plans. Around three or four months later of the following year, I decided to purchase a new home and made a decision that I would take a part-time job for three to six months to help buy furniture and to get me started in my home.

So I tapped into my sources and called my sister to determine if they were hiring part-time workers. She told me yes and helped me set up an interview. I was hired right on the spot and started two days later. Out of all the people in the company you can only guess who my trainer was! Angela. I started realizing the meaning of divine intervention. During that time in my life I was a flirt by nature but I maintained a professional persona, however, I was not letting this opportunity pass me by this time.

I still laugh today because Angela never showed that she had much interest in me. She was and is a gorgeous spoiled brat that turns heads when she enters the room and she knew it. But call it ego or overconfidence - I just could not believe that she was not attracted to a good looking guy like myself (see there goes that ego), working two jobs with an engineering degree. As I got to know my future wife, I later understood that Angela had to protect a three-year-old son that she was raising as a single mom which I had great respect for.

As time passed and personal guards were removed, I got to know Angela and after a few evening telephone conversations and many requests, she finally said yes to a lunch date. As I look back, Angela and I had an old-fashioned relationship that blossomed into a romance. I realized we had reached a special level in our relationship when she requested that her son join us on one of those many dates. The two then became three.

After two plus years of dating and going through our ups and downs I finally asked Angela and her son Je'Todd to marry me. We have been married now going on 29 years this June and she is still the love of my life. We learned over time to never give up especially in the bad times, we just believe tomorrow will be a better day."

Raymond and Bernie Stetz

Raymond writes, "This coming July my wife and I will be celebrating our 49th wedding anniversary. We met because of three people: our mothers and my brother. In the early 70s our mothers were pen pals. My mother was living in Albuquerque, my wife’s mother was living in Chicago. Both of them have teenage children.

The reason they know each other was because of an advertisement in a magazine, looking for pen pals. It caught their attention because they were both named Mary Stetz.

My wife and I had just graduated from high school. She was in college in Chicago; I had joined the Navy and was stationed at Great Lakes.

My brother was also in the Navy and came to visit me from his base on the East Coast. Our mother said that if we were ever in Chicago to look these people up. He couldn’t get his car on base so we came down to Chicago. We found their house, and introduced ourselves.

I fell in love with my wife as soon as she walked into the room. We have lived in La Grange for almost 25 years."

Colleen and Steve Westbrook

Colleen writes, "My husband and I have always joked that we have a 'Hallmark' movie love story!

We both joined the same 'Meet-Up' group, and just so happened to sign up for the same event, one evening in January 2016. This was not a dating group; it was just a group of people getting together for a pizza night at an Italian Restaurant called "Pizza Barra" in Oak Brook. They rented out a private room and there were 30 people in attendance.

We happened to sit at the same table and when our eyes met, we both immediately felt a spark!
We talked for quite some time and it felt like no one else was in the room. We didn't exchange any numbers but had both mentioned that we were signed up for another event in two weeks and would see each other then. But, I didn't want to wait until then to see him, so I reached out through the 'Meet-Up' site and emailed him. I never do anything like this, but I just knew he was someone special! I did a bold thing and asked him out to dinner and he accepted! (which was a good thing because that other event we were both signed up for ended up getting cancelled!)

The following week, we met at 'Front Street Cantina' in downtown Naperville on a very cold Thursday night. We ended up talking, eating and laughing for six straight hours! Our server finally had to politely kick us out at midnight when they were closing! LOL!

We were pretty inseparable after that evening, and four weeks later, we went to a jewelry store and bought rings! 'When you know, you know' has been our motto ever since!

We got married on 6-11-17 and this coming June, we will be celebrating our five-year wedding anniversary!"

Emma Trevor and Patrick Lindstrom

Emma writes, "In the summer of 2020, months into self-isolation due to the pandemic, my now-boyfriend and I both happened to join a new dating app, Facebook Dating. Patrick was the third profile I came across and we were both immediately interested! Our profiles both indicated our values as progressive Christians with an interest in justice and political involvement. Not always easy to find; certainly exciting to share several interests and passions!

We had several phone calls and Zoom or FaceTime 'dates' before finally meeting in person. I was (and am) immunocompromised, and extremely cautious. We met on a Sunday afternoon in July 2020 at a public park close to my home. We were both masked and sat diagonally across from each other at a picnic table. He took me completely by surprise and brought hot dogs from Superdawg (his favorite), and an enormous, delicious carrot cake -- my favorite!

We discovered that not only did we have a few friends in common, but we attended the same church! Urban Village Church in Wicker Park (Chicago, IL). Somehow we just hadn't met?!

It was a few months later when we realized that our paths had actually crossed once many years before, in September 2008. I was a freshman at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and Patrick was a junior at Eastern Illinois University. The Wesley Foundations (campus ministries) from UIUC, EIU, and Purdue did a group canoe trip every Labor Day to Turkey Run State Park in Indiana. We were both amazed to see ourselves situated virtually next to each other in a picture (attached) from 12 years before we met and started dating. Wow!

We have been together for 19 months this week. We've been through tough times, not only the pandemic but also other major health issues. We are so in love and committed to working through life's challenges together. "

Bonnie and Tom Wydra

Bonnie writes, "My name is Bonnie and I met my husband Tom, 47 years ago this summer, at a christening celebration. While talking, we found we had music in common, and our first real date was a Genesis concert back in 1974. I was in High School but knew I was going to spend the rest of my life with him. We dated over four years and got married as soon as I graduated from high school.

We had absolutely nothing, but LOVE to live on. Through the years we appreciated every single thing we had accomplished together, from buying furniture, appliances and our first new home to many memorable vacations and so many other treasures, not necessarily material items, that made up the "chapters of our life." After sharing all life's ups, downs, riches and losses, joys and struggles, we'd both agree, we'd STILL CHOOSE each other all over again.

Like all new relationships, early love is romantic in so many ways. Butterflies of excitement, holding hands, and sharing your dreams as your love blooms. Then about 10 years through, your love is put through the test of time while raising your family, paying bills, trying to keep up with life's demands, losing your parents and sometimes losing friends. Challenges for sure, but even though your romance has changed to more serious situations, you survive the storms of life and support each other differently. You may not hold hands as often, but your love connects your hearts, and you know that together, you can keep moving forward, even when it sometimes looks impossible.

So, when we got to our 40th wedding Anniversary a few years back, finally we felt "accomplished." We wanted to celebrate all those "chapters in our life" that we happily made it through, and we decided to renew our vows in a way that was very meaningful.

Our name WYDRA, means Otter in Polish (we are Polish) and lots of people refer to us as Mr. and Mrs. Otter, Auntie and Uncle Otter etc. Being very much into enjoying nature our entire lives, this all inspired us to renew our vows in California with the OTTERS in Monterey. We spent hours watching and photographing the otters and then decided on a special time and location to renew our vows. It was so emotional for both of us reminiscing and declaring our unconditional love after all these years, that we needed to remember this moment forever, but how? We didn't need more STUFF to collect, we're not jewelry people, our memories are getting foggy with age, so I did the unthinkable and got my very first tattoo! Two OTTERS holding each other.

Today, almost four years later, my wonderful husband sadly is now battling stage four cancer, and our love faces the greatest challenge of all, (in sickness and in health) cherishing our days, each and every one, surrounded by the memories from all the 'chapters of our life' knowing our hearts will ALWAYS stay connected and I will ALWAYS remember the promise we made when we were young and in love and the promise we renewed as our love grew its strong foundation. Our song then and our song now 'Still The One.'"

Jennifer and William Bradford

Jennifer writes, "My husband Will and I met in November of 1996. I was on a bowling league at our local bowling alley. I was running late and, as he stated, he saw me run through the doors and said [to himself], 'I have to meet her.' He was only subbing for his mom's team and wasn't usually at the bowling alley on that night.

Later that evening, his brother approached me and asked if his brother could have my number. I, of course gave it to him as I was just as interested as he was. A few days went by and he called and asked me on a date. I was very excited and said yes. That very night I knew this was going to turn into something. I guess you could say I fell in love with him that night.

Why? Well that night at dinner I was able to eat my meal while it was hot. On any other dates in my life, I was always the one doing the talking and coming up with conversation, but not that night. He did all the talking. Sounds like something small but I realized that night we had many ideas for our future that were the same. He was caring and so kind and had a heart as big as Texas. I knew I couldn't let him get away. I was going to be in it for the long haul.

Little did I know he felt the same way because just two short months later my car was giving me problems and he showed up at my door with a brand new car that he had purchased for me. Then, a few months after it was Easter 1997, he asked me to marry him and I said yes! The next April 4, 1998, we were married. In May 2000 we gave birth to our son and in September 2002 we had our daughter. Our family is complete. Did I mention what a fantastic bowler he is!! Both of our kids inherited his love for the game and grew up in the sport, our daughter is currently attending college on a partial scholarship for bowling. His favorite thing to do is watch our kids bowl.

This April we will be married 24 years. He is the most caring, loving, giving man and did I mention an amazing father. He is the complete package! I can't imagine my life without him."

Jean and Wayne Tillman

Jean writes, "I lived in Tennessee and Wayne lived in Chicago. He would come to Tennessee to visit Uncle Jim. Me and my family knew Uncle Jim for years,then one day I was at work at the store and Uncle Jim came in with this guy who was carrying a kid,The next day Uncle Jim asked me if I would want to go out with him.

I said, "Who?" He said," That guy that was with me." I said, "The one that was carrying a kid?" He said, "That's Wayne's niece.

So, Uncle Jim introduced him to me. Wayne had just gotten out of the service. We started writing letters to each other and calling each other. He would come back and forth from Chicago to Tennessee and I came up to visit him a few times. I can't say how many trips he made, but it was alot. He had a wonderful family and my family liked Wayne.

I think he got tired of writing, so we finally got married. I moved from Tennessee to Chicago. He was my true love and soul mate. I fell in love with Wayne. He was good looking and smart...his mannerisms, his friendliness and the way he cared for others... and he had beautiful eyes. They sparkled.

We have two daughters and two granddaughters and our first great grandaughter. We have been married 72 years we have been so blessed to have each other and family and friends. We have lived in Alsip for 55 years."

Angela and Ryan

Angela writes, "I remember staring at Ryan across the counter. It was a week after my birthday and I heard someone had been asking about me. I was curious. Someone told me that they told him I'd be there Thursday, so I went. When I got there, there he was and I had a feeling it was him. Lexi told me it was him. The week prior I saw him leave, so I went to my car, secretly hoping I'd bump into him. I don't know why but it was like gravity. Something telling me to go. Well I did. I hadn't expected him to be parked right in front of the doors. So when I looked up as the door shut I let out a bashful smile and tried to walk normal to my car. I came back and he was still right there so I smiled as I walked inside. Now, at the time I was sure he wouldn't be back. I hadn't seen him before.

So, when I saw him again, I couldn't believe it. On top of it, he had a great smile. I couldn't believe this guy wanted to know me. He was handsome and charming.

This man is the father of my daughter and I couldn't be more happy with that."

Mark and Carol Hill

Mark writes, "I have known my wife, Carol Sue (an American Airlines Flight Attendant and Oklahoma native) for almost 15 years, as I took care surgically of her children. We were both divorced for many years and were friends. I had great admiration and respect for her being a single mother, doing all the "red-eye" flights so she could be home with her children, working overtime to pay off her home, and paying her children's college education...demonstrating great independence and strength.

Some years ago, her mother in Oklahoma developed dementia and she moved her mother to a facility very near to her Libertyville home. I saw for two years (as I also medically cared for her mother) incredible devotion towards her mother (until she passed) and this continued to skyrocket my admiration for Carol Sue. Shortly thereafter (about five years ago), and I cannot exactly explain how, our friendship blossomed into romantic love. We knew that we had the foundations of friendship, passion, uncensored communication, and shared values which clearly dictated that we should spend the rest of our lives together. In fact, those elements I just stated for our relationship I expressed to each of my children when they got married.

So four years ago, I took her to our favorite restaurant-Bluegrass in Highland Park-for her birthday. Jim Lederer (the owner) is a friend of mine and we made a plan!

As we were finishing our dinner, Jim brought out a guitar I 'planted' with him earlier in the day. I sang at our dinner in the restaurant the Buddy Holly song 'Peggy Sue,' but replaced that name with 'Carol Sue.' Then, Jim brought out three gifts that I also dropped off with Jim for her birthday. The first was a tube of Gorilla Glue, as she always told me that Gorilla Glue was better that Super Glue. The second was a box of surgical gloves, as Carol Sue is an avid gardener, and she always asks me for those gloves. The third was a miniature Bible, as Carol Sue every morning reads Bible passages. Then Jim said that there was one more gift...and this requires a bit of explanation.

As someone who loves antiques, I have always enjoyed antique wooden boxes for some reason, and have a modest collection of them. Carol Sue knew this well. So, surreptitiously, when I went to my jeweler (Joel Kagan at Smart Jewelers in Highland Park) and picked out the engagement ring, I asked Joel if there were any beautiful vintage wooden boxes, as I am aware that presentation of rings is usually in small 'jewelry' boxes. As Joel and his late father have been in the jewelry business for many decades, he went to the storeroom of the store and found a beautiful old walnut... rather big... wooden box. I was delighted. I put the engagement ring in the box and wrapped up the box.

Back to Bluegrass Restaurant. After my third gift, Jim said 'Dr. Hill-you are forgetting the fourth gift.' So, Jim brought out this rather large (about the size of a shoe box), heavy, wrapped gift. He presented it on the table in front of Carol Sue, and when she unwrapped the wrapping paper, she saw this was a beautiful antique wooden box. Knowing that I love and collect antique wooden boxes, Carol Sue looked at me and excitingly said, 'You got me a box!!' All of us, Jim, me, and the entire restaurant patrons, tried to hide our chuckles and I got down on one knee and asked Carol Sue to OPEN the box. There was the engagement ring, and I then asked her to please marry me. She said yes!! And the photo attached is a photo someone took of us, and the entire restaurant applauded and Carol Sue had to go around to all the patrons as so many of the women wanted to see her ring.

We were married in Mackinac Island in 2019 which is the second picture attached and she moved into my Highland Park home.

Indeed we are incredibly happy. Just wish we could have met each other decades ago!!!!"

Richard and Maria Alsip

Richard writes, "I met my future wife Maria at a Good Time Charly dance Friday Aug. 8, 1998. I had attended these events on and off for many years. I believe it was her third dance. She really didn’t want to go, but her next door neighbor whose birthday it was, insisted . We call her St. Bernice.

The dance was at the Willowbrook Ballroom which has since burned down. We danced several songs and I kind of glued myself to the table she was at with Bernice and several of her friends. Maria didn’t want to give me her number right away, but said if I came to the next dance she would. Well the next dance was about two weeks away I had an awful cold, but I went anyway and sure enough, she was there! I got her number and we made plans for meeting again once at a Bears preseason game and once at Navy Pier. I finally got her address and the rest is history.

We were married June 25, 2000. I was 45 she was 46. Another coincidence is that we had grown up literally blocks from each other as children but never saw each other. That’s our story."

Ron and Norma Solberg

Ron writes, "Nearly 60 years ago, on Aug. 4, 1962, my wife Norma and I were driving to northern Minnesota to celebrate our honeymoon on the shores of beautiful 'from the land of sky-blue waters' Lake Burntside near Ely, Minnesota. That morning, we were leaving the motel where we had spent our first night of wedded bliss together. Our car radio was on when we heard the news: 'Marilyn Monroe passed away earlier this morning.' At that moment my new blushing bride turned to me and said,'Gosh, Ron, Marilyn must have just discovered that you're no longer available.'

P.S. As an aside, the date and time of Marilyn's death has been bandied around some in the years since. We know we were married on Friday, Aug. 3, 1962. And we know we heard the news of her death that following morning on the 4th. However, the reports of Marilyn's passing have regularly been moved, perhaps nefariously, to a day or two later.

P.S.S. Our tale has legs. A few years ago, when I was teaching at a Chicago area middle school, I must have shared the Marilyn Monroe and honeymoon episode with my colleagues during one or another time while in the teachers' lounge. Sometime later, the principal called me into her office before our regular faculty meeting. It turned out to be a delaying tactic only. Shortly thereafter, we walked into the meeting where the teachers were gathered. They all had cutout head shots of Marilyn pasted onto popsicle sticks covering their faces while singing 'Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, dearest Ron.' And, of course, it was actually my birthday, that day. Coincidentally, it was also January 20, Presidential Inauguration Day.

Oh, but wait there's more . . . My relationship with Marilyn continued on. Every Christmas, the faculty exchanged 'Secret Santa' gifts. A fellow teacher who drew my name presented me with a bottle of 'Marilyn Merlot' wine, featuring a label portraying Ms. Monroe. Not to be outdone, my principal chimed in with a gift of a Marilyn Monroe Christmas tree ornament. Throughout it all, my wife Norma has been understanding about my affair with 'The Blonde Bombshell: MM' -- as she really started it all!"

Amelia Baer and Michael Van Berschot

Amelia writes, "My fiance and I met 15 years ago. After a long work week, a friend and I had gone out for a drink. At the end of the night, we were leaving and waiting on the valet. This man wearing long black shorts and a slipknot shirt with long red hair started talking to us. Before we could exchange names, our car arrived. We left and I couldn't get him out of mind. I was so upset with myself that I didn't introduce myself, much less get his name.

A few weeks later a group of friends and I went out to a karaoke bar and grill to meet up with another group of friends. Lo and behold! There was this same man. He was with that group of friends. We all sat down together and laughed while catching up on conversation. He asked me to sing a song. I had never sung a song before; I had just watched other people sing. So, after he begged me to sing, I agreed and asked him to pick the song. Out of all the songs he had to choose from, he picked 'Mickey You're So Fine. Oh, and yes, I did get his name. Mike. Lol. 15 years and counting."

Margaret and Ed Sweeney

Margaret writes, "I was not looking for love! You see, I was a widow. I married my high school and college sweetheart and was married for almost 38 years. We raised four children together until he was diagnosed with a very rare cancer called Liposarcoma. Joe lost his battle in 2014 after four years of a very long, hard fight.

Devastated as you could imagine, I figured that I have such a full life, my children, grandchildren, my girlfriends and my job, which I loved.

I was a surgical assistant for an oral surgeon for over 20 years in Woodridge. I loved seeing many patients and learned so much about them. One day my coworkers and I were looking at our patient load for the day. We noticed that one of the patients had the same last name as me: Sweeney (no relation to my late husband's family). He seemed very nice,nothing out of the ordinary, I thought. I continued on with his appointment and he left.

He came back two weeks later to have his work completed and again made small talk and he was on his way. Some months passed and I looked at our schedule for the day and saw Ed Sweeney’s name...the guy with the same last name. We talked and found out a little more about each other and I told him I was a widow and he said he was divorced. I guess that opened the door in his eyes because he sent me a card at work with his email to have dinner sometime. With coaxing from my daughter Meghan I emailed him and we set up a time to meet for a drink. The drink turned into dinner and a four-hour night of sharing life stories with one another. I came home after that one-drink-turned-into-dinner night and thought, "Wow! Ed Sweeney is a really great guy! Who just happens to have the same last name as me."

Two years later after that one drink that turned into dinner, we got married in Santa Fe, New Mexico, this past July. I never thought I could love again, but I was wrong. I did with with my patient, who now is my husband. The guy with the same last name as me, Sweeney."

Faith and Nico

Faith writes, "We met on Bumble. We talked for over a month on the phone, texting and FaceTiming. Our first date was in downtown Naperville. We spent our first date laughing and talking. We didn't keep track of time because we just enjoyed being with one another.

Six months later, we are still together and still in love. We are in the process of getting our first house together and are already thinking of a ring, marriage and babies. When you know, you know!

He always tells me when we started talking, he was like, 'I am going to marry this girl.'"

Mike and Ginger Houston

Mike writes, "About 48 years ago...around 1973, I attended a classmates 7th birthday party. His younger sister, Ginger, was about two years old (yellow) and i was seven (red). My name is Mike Houston and we both lived in Palos Hills. During this party, I told the host's mother, Kitty Kenny, 'I'm going to marry your daughter one day.'

On March 16, 2001 we did just that.

I would see Ginger jogging around town for several years in the 80s. Ginger never entertained my advances, and I was persistent. Finally, on Dec. 25, 1992, while we were both in a nightclub celebrating Christmas, Ginger agreed to a date. Nine years later, we were married and today we are blessed to have four children, two pooches, six lizards and two hairless rats."

PurSneakity and Penelope

Jessica Loftus shares this heartwarming photo of loving couple PurSneakity and Penelope. Jessica writes, "This is a bit unconventional, but I think it would add charm to your Valentine's Day story."

We are really feline the love in this photo. Happy Valentine's Day! Be sure to share your own love story in the comments section.