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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThey spent their early years together building a life and raising their two boys, Kris and Derrick, on a piece of family land where they built their dream home in the early 1980s. The house became the perfect setting for precious memories, reminding them of their own childhood. Christmas mornings were filled with the smell of Linda\u2019s famous desserts, and summers were for barbecues with neighbors while Kris and Derrick played in the yard with friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThose years with the kids, raising them, were some of the most memorable,\u201d said Ronnie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ronnie worked at a local dealership during those years, and both he and Linda worked hard to build a future for themselves and their family. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Throughout the years, Ronnie and Linda always left room for new adventures. Ronnie fondly recalled the many trips they took for his job, both close to home and far beyond. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of their most memorable work trips took them to Palm Springs, where Linda got to drive combines and tractors \u2014 which Ronnie said she really enjoyed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But the adventures didn\u2019t stop there. The couple also ventured across the pond, making several trips to Europe. The last of these was a breathtaking journey to Barcelona, followed by a scenic cruise up to Italy and France. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They also made their way to London, where they hopped on the Eurostar train and rode it down to Paris for a week of sightseeing and soaking in the charm of the City of Light. Monte Carlo was another unforgettable destination that they visited during their early travels. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThose were things we never dreamed we’d be able to do,\u201d Ronnie said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n While their business allowed them to travel, it was always about balancing work with time for family and each other. Those adventures remain some of Ronnie\u2019s most valuable memories, and the highlight was having Linda by his side, sharing in the joy of every experience together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt always seemed like wherever I went, she came along,\u201d he reminisced. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Linda worked in bookkeeping at a local gas company then, but the couple soon realized they wanted to settle down and build a future on their own terms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2012, Ronnie took a leap and opened Swann Equipment, a family business for agricultural repair and the consignment of used machinery. Around the same time, Linda retired from her own job, and her health began to decline. Though she had to step back from supporting Ronnie\u2019s business, her support for Ronnie never faltered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even as Linda\u2019s health deteriorated, Ronnie recalled how her spirit remained strong. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cShe\u2019d put on that happy face, even when things weren\u2019t so great,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cShe never complained,\u201d he added. \u201cI\u2019d often know when she needed a blood transfusion before she even said anything. She\u2019s just that kind of person \u2014 always thinking of others before herself.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ronnie joked that the secret to a long-lasting marriage is to \u201cstay broke,\u201d but he admitted the true secret was friendship and love, which carried them through financial struggles, health challenges, and the ups and downs of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI think you have to like one another. You have to read the other person as well. Relationships are give and take.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Today, while their adventures may look different than they once did, Ronnie still finds contentment in the small moments he spends with Linda. Even something as simple as driving her to appointments has become a cherished experience for the couple.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As they near 50 years of marriage, the Swanns will tell you that the beauty of life lies in the simple moments. It\u2019s in showing up for one another, day in and day out, through both the storms and the sunshine, and discovering joy in the everyday. Together, they\u2019ve weathered life\u2019s challenges, always finding reasons to celebrate the love, family, and unity that bind them. Their love story is a timeless reminder of what matters most \u2014 love, family, and the people who make life beautiful.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" During the 1970s, weekends in Franklin County meant gathering with friends at the local Dairy Queen. It was a time when life moved slower, and the small things like milkshakes and fries created memories that would last a lifetime. Life moved at an easy pace, and the chime of a jukebox and the smell of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":23701,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23699","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cover"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/goodnewsmags.com\/franklin-county\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/02\/3-1024x683.png\")
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