Widower reaches out for advice
Two months ago, we featured a widower named Steve from New York State. You might recall that Steve is a “muscle car” buff and has a beautiful red GTO. I also featured Steve in six Pennsylvania senior newspapers I write for called 50plus Life. As a result of the newsletter and the PA. newspaper columns, several women made contact via email with Steve and have helped him ease back into the dating world. Another widower named Chuck, from Lancaster, Pa., saw the article on Steve, and, as a result, Chuck contacted me. He said, “Over a year ago, I lost the love of my life to multiple myeloma cancer. “I would like to meet a widow in her 60’s or 70’s who had a happy marriage who wants to share good wine, fine food, great conversation, educational travel and who likes to snuggle in the winter or travel to South Florida. “I’m in my 70’s but look like I’m in my 60’s.” “I just can’t see myself using those dating websites so what can you do to help me meet another love of my life before I run out of money or air?” I needed to clarify Chuck’s “…who likes to snuggle in the winter” comment. I wrote to Chuck: “Snuggle only in the winter?” He assured me that snuggling was a year-around wish. He asked, “Who can I use for matchmaking now?” I said, “Networking to meet mates is the best way for senior singles to meet potential mates.” I suggested he subscribe to this On Life and Love after 50 eNewsletter, which he did. He has an undergraduate degree from Notre Dame and a MBA from Washington University in St. Louis. He was an officer in the Army. He was president of three companies. He is an avid volunteer with SCORE and Rotary. His resume reads like a Who's Who. Regarding looking like he is in his 60’s, I said, “Chuck, we’ll let the women you meet decide that.”
Chuck Sawicki of Lancaster, PA
Even though Chuck has traveled extensively, he says he’d like to see new places and he doesn’t want to see those places traveling by himself. If Chuck sounds like a Champ you’d enjoy corresponding with, he gave me permission to share his email with you. But, the only requirement is you must let me know how things go. Why? So that I can share the information with our incredible Champs. They are an inquisitive bunch. ------------------------------------------------------------------
Update on Chuck - October 20, 2017
A few weeks back, we featured a story about Chuck, a widower from Pennsylvania. He was hoping to meet a companion who would enjoy winters in Florida. Chuck is not interested in marriage. Chuck’s story also appeared in the six Pennsylvania newspapers I write for. He updated me this week: “I have been pleasantly surprised with about 30 replies so far. The most interesting thing I’ve learned is that referrals from good friends produced some of the best candidates. “One woman told me, after we finished dinner, ‘We are too much alike and not a good fit! She then referred me to one of the nicest women I have ever met who never would have contacted me.’” Another woman wrote this to Chuck, “I was on Amtrak to Philadelphia yesterday, and in the train station was the paper with the article about you. I reread it and it occurred to me that you might like a widow of a doctor. I am not a widow, but I almost was as the man I was married to was cruising for a bruising! Just kidding! He later joined AA, and I am proud of him. “I have tried to contact the widow, but she will call me later. You said you had so many ladies contact you, you might be busy for years, or something to that effect. “I am not looking for anyone and know I would never marry again.” Chuck’s experience reveals why it is important for older singles--who would like to meet a mate--to cast their net far and wide. Chuck reached out to me, I wrote about him, a woman who isn’t looking has a widow friend, and the story goes on from there. I haven’t corresponded with Chuck in a while, but I am sure he is amazed at how his situation has changed simply because he got active and took his hope of meeting someone into his own hands.
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Update on Chuck - Meeting a new mate on the train November 10, 2017
I’d love to take credit for Chuck’s dating success. But I can’t, even though he was featured in this newsletter and in the six Pennsylvania newspapers I write for.
From those sources, Chuck received over 38 inquiries from women.Chuck copied me on an email he sent to a woman this week, explaining how he met his new love, which shows the importance of getting out of the house and enjoying life.
Chuck, 78, wrote, “I have fallen in love with a woman I met who is five years older than I, and who lives two hours away from me even though I wanted to only meet women in nearby Lancaster (PA) or in Florida to have a home there in the winter.
“The person I met was not through Tom Blake, but on a train in the dining car waiting for a table.
“But, I think Tom should write several bios each month to help others like us. He could charge to cover for his time and expenses. “Many of my new love’s friends who haven’t met me want to know about the ‘young’ (78), mystery, train man” that she met between South Bend, Indiana, and Pittsburgh, when I was returning from the Notre Dame-Temple football game.”
I love Chuck’s story. He met his woman on a train. Sounds like a happening out of my parents’ vintage, or a clip from the movie North by Northwest with Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint.
