When Ray Terpstra first laid eyes on Louise, she was accompanied by her husband, who was battling Alzheimer’s disease.
“Ray said, ‘What a waste,'” Louise recalls.
That was about four years ago, when Louise was moving into The Garnet of Casa Grande, Arizona.
Soon after they met, Louise and Ray often found themselves doing laundry at the same time, and the conversation flowed easily. It turned out they had both been ranchers, so farm life was a frequent topic of conversation between the two of them.
“Once my husband passed away, I looked at Ray more and more,” Louise says.
They dated until June 30, 2012, when Louise popped the question.
“I was the one who proposed to him because it was a leap year,” Louise says. “Women can propose to men in a leap year.”
“I was speechless,” Ray says.
Louise and Ray were married at the Garnet, where all of the residents gathered to celebrate.
“They had a great wedding for us here,” Louise says.
Louise, who is from Austin, Texas, likes to joke with Ray about his northern upbringing in Minnesota.
“I never thought I’d marry a damn Yankee,” she says. “But I’m glad I did marry him.”
Today, the newlyweds enjoy playing pool and poker together.
“He wins at pool, but I can win at poker,” Louise says. “Sometimes.”
Next, read about the love story of Mickey and Terry Salt. 