Love and Lessons – Stories and Advice from Ecumenical Retirement Community Residents

The love stories of our residents are heartwarming and inspiring. Meet a few of the married couples who call Ecumenical Retirement Community home:

Patience and Commitment: Marilyn and Albert Winters’ Love Story

After more than 64 years of marriage, Marilyn and Albert Winters stand by the vows they made to each other and focus on patience and commitment as the recipe for a long and happy marriage.

The couple met through mutual friends when they were both were going to school in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Al was attending Carnegie Tech studying to be an engineer, and Marilyn was enrolled at Chatham College. Al knew right away that Marilyn was the one for him and called her dorm room soon after their first meeting. After a long phone conversation (which was out-of-character for Al), he invited her to a party at his fraternity, where the two fell for each other while dancing. After they both graduated, they set the date for their traditional church wedding: June 23, 1962 in Albany, New York—a central point for their families from Massachusetts and Buffalo, New York.

“My mother made a latch hook rug that laid at the foot of the alter,” said Marilyn. “That way, we always have the spot we were married on.”

This constant reminder of their commitment moved with them throughout their marriage—starting their life and family together in Massachusetts to moving to France for a period of time for Al’s work and everywhere else in between. Now, their wedding spot is still with them in their apartment at Ecumenical Retirement Community.

Their advice: Realize you are making a commitment to the other person and honor it for the rest of your life. You don’t give up the first time you have a fight or any time. Arguments are a part of marriage; just make sure you say “I love you” every night before bed.

Quality Time: Al and Anna Zimmerman’s Love Story

After years of healing, Al and Anna found each other at a time they least expected it and needed it most—years after the death of their first spouses. When Al received Anna’s phone number from his nephew, who went to the same church as Anna, he made a call that changed their life.

“He called and asked to come to the house. I wasn’t looking for anybody, but I’ll let him come,” Anna said with a smile. “He is very affectionate and loving. He is very caring and is making sure I’m always taken care of. I wasn’t used to that but really enjoy it.”

“After my wife passed, I told God that I can’t stand being alone,” added Al. “She was the answer. I needed somebody and life needed to go on. We just enjoy each other very much.”

Their first date was to a restaurant, and soon after went to the Elizabethtown Fair, which became an annual tradition to attend. The big day was Jan. 2, 2011. It was a celebration of second chances and the joy of finding love again. Al and Anna proudly blended their beautiful families, including Anna’s three children and Al’s four children, plus many grandchildren.

While living at Ecumenical Retirement Community, at one point, the couple lived in separate buildings while receiving different levels of care but never spent a day apart. “I think they got tired of me wearing out the parking lot walking to visit Anna,” joked Al. Now, they reside in a shared apartment, enjoy listening to gospel music and spend all their quality time together.

Their advice: You have to be yourself, and you can’t always be right. Don’t worry about what other people think. Make sure you love God.

Friendship: Lynn and Ann Heilman’s Love Story

From first grade to a first date at a school dance in junior high to their wedding day on May 28, 1955, the theme of friendship weaves through Lynn and Ann Heilman’s love story. They each  married their best friend.

The two grew up down the street from each other in Lebanon, Pennsylvania and met at the age of six. They shared their childhoods and supported each other through their school years which eventually and naturally turned into a lifetime together.

“We were so close,” described Ann. “We just felt like it was going to happen, we’ve just always had ‘it,’” added Lynn.

After the wedding, the couple moved to North Carolina for Lynn’s duty in the Air Force but soon moved back to Lebanon. “You gotta be back home,” emphasized Ann. “To meet all our friends again.”

To this day, the couple stays in touch with the friends from their school days and the 16 couple-friends with whom they spent so much time.

One friend with whom they recently had the joy of reconnecting was fellow Ecumenical resident—Elaine Machamer. Elaine and the Heilmans became friends while attending the same gym when the Heilmans moved to Harrisburg. After not seeing each other in years, they met again in the fall of 2024 when Lynn and Ann made the move to Ecumenical.

“It’s important to have family in different phases of your life,” explained Lynn. “We have church family, friends who are family, our own children and each other.

Their advice: You have to stick it out and can’t give up. Don’t run away as soon as there is a problem—deal with the problem together. It’s not easy and you have to work at it—work at it together.