Serving Our Seniors Magazine January - March 2026

Lake Erie Love 2026 In celebration of Valentine’s Day, our cover story features three locals, who share how they met and what keeps their relationship alive and well. Ron & Lee Watts have been married for 40 years. Ron Watts, 75, was born in Mississippi. He graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1969 and graduated from Jones College in 1973. He moved to Sandusky in 1977. Lee Watts, 74, was born in Tennessee and moved to Sandusky in 1952, where she finished high school in 1970 and trade schools in 1986, 2003, 2005 and 2009. They have raised five daughters. Ron met Lee at a social event in 1977. He recalled that the first time they met, he was struck by her appearance. She was wearing a black suit with a black leather jacket and a hat adorned with a feather. The second time they met, he didn’t recognize her. “She wore glasses, which she didn’t wear when we first met, and she was dressed like a schoolteacher.” I asked Lee what she remembered about meeting Ron. She said, “He was so strikingly different from other men.” She recalled his platform shoes, his nine- inch afro, and his cosmopolitan look. “I walked over to introduce myself. He was somewhat standoffish.” She knew, however, that not only was she admiring him, but he was also admiring her from a distance. Back in the 1970s, women were beginning to come into their own. “As a girl from the ’70s, I had to make a move,” she said with a laugh. Her confidence paved the way for their second encounter. When they spoke again, they felt a connection and Ron asked her out on a date at Cedar Villa. From that night on, their relationship began to grow and has not stopped, since. I asked Ron what makes their relationship work. Ron reflected, “From the start, I noticed qualities in Lee — how she carried herself and her integrity.” Ron credits their Christian faith as the foundation of their marriage. “My faith has taught me what a man could be and should be. When difficulties arose, he said, “Our commitment that we made before God was bigger than our difficulties. We were able to use our challenges to grow — individually and as a married couple. We blossomed as a family. This is something we could not have done on our own. That has been truly rewarding.” For Lee, their relationship has two distinct phases: BC (Before Christ) and after Christ. Early in their relationship, Ron’s southern culture was apparent. Although she appreciated it, she also felt it carried a chauvinistic tone. She recalled having to navigate that dynamic while asserting herself in a male- dominated occupation, maintaining her womanhood at home, and loving her husband while raising five daughters to be ladies — but also strong women. “I had a lot to figure out,” she admitted. For fun, Ron enjoys reading, traveling and being with Lee. “She’s fun, and she has never met a stranger.” When I asked Lee what she likes to do, she said, “I love to travel, spend time with family and being with Ron.” By Sue Daugherty 10