Senior Center a Place for Food, Cards . . . and Falling in Love

He met her at table 12 in the dining room. They shared a meal and began dating.

Tom Hudson, 82, met Louise, 80, at the Westminster Senior Center. She lived in San Francisco but was visiting her sister at the center. In a couple of days, Tom was wooing her with chicken dinners.

Tom and Louise are just one of the couples who have met at the Westminster Senior Center, where line dancing, bridge and mah-jongg give seniors the opportunity to pursue a different game--dating.

“I had just come from Massachusetts with my brother-in-law,” said 73-year-old Leo Kalian. “We were driving around, looking for things to do. We saw a sign saying, ‘Senior Center,’ and I said, ‘We’re seniors--let’s go in and see.’ And there she was.”

Sylvia was in charge of the center’s home delivery meals. She was looking for drivers to bring out food to homebound seniors.

“These two gentlemen came in with nothing to do,” said 63-year-old Sylvia Kalian. “I put them to work.”

The couple began dating on Presidents Day. She was Martha Washington and he--in top hat and beard--was Abraham Lincoln. He won the costume contest and decided to spend the $10 prize by taking Martha Washington to lunch.

Leo had lost his wife eight years before, and Sylvia had been divorced for five years. Neither was looking to get married.

“But before I knew it, he was asking me to marry him,” Sylvia said.

Leo wooed her with flowers and candy first, then with diamonds.

“I just had to marry her,” he said.

Today they live together in a house on Homer Street, where wedding pictures and other family photos adorn the living room.

Between them, Sylvia and Leo have 23 grandchildren and 12 children, although none with each other.

Despite two recent heart attacks, Leo still has energy to romance his wife.

“Leo still brings me flowers and candy,” Sylvia said. “And he always keeps me laughing.”

Supervisor Betty Goyne said many romances have flourished at the senior center. People meet at events such as the Wednesday dining club, aerobics and bingo.

“Many couples have met each other at the center,” Goyne said. “It’s a social place where you can meet all sorts of people.”

One man even asked his girlfriend to marry him while she was conducting the line dancing class.

“I think quite a few romances have taken place there,” said Louise. “I can think of several people who got together. It has taken away a lot of loneliness,” she said.

“I can’t think of a better place to meet.”

Louise Roug can be reached at (714) 966-5977