Valentines at Trinity: Kevin & Elizabeth Seal

Every couple has a story — a story of how they met, how they’ve grown together, and how God has shaped their journey along the way. This Valentine’s season, we’re sharing a few of those stories from our church family. From chance meetings to lasting love, each one is a reminder that God’s timing and creativity are beautiful.

Today, we hear from Kevin & Elizabeth Seal:

How did you meet?

The very first day of freshman orientation at Saint Olaf College, there was an event where students were organized by last names. Elizabeth’s maiden name is Simmons, so we were seated right next to each other. We were both music majors, and we ended up in many of the same classes as well.

How long have you been together?

We have been married for almost 18 years now, and together as a couple for 25 years.

What first drew you to each other?

Our first winter at St. Olaf, the music department decided to throw a formal dance and party, the Music Department Winter Ball. We went together and ended up sitting up and talking until 4 in the morning afterwards. From that point on we were very close friends. We were drawn to each other by our shared love of music, our shared value system, and the fact that we were both from the coasts and we were stuck together in the upper Midwest (Kevin is from Portland, OR and Elizabeth is from just outside of Boston). It took another three years to realize we liked each other as more than just friends, but once we started dating during senior year, we were inseparable.

What do you enjoy doing together these days?

We’re huge foodies, so we really love eating out, and cooking up interesting things in the kitchen. We also love the outdoors, hiking together and exploring the Blue Ridge Mountains, and traveling together. Last but certainly not least, we love doing music together. Elizabeth is the choir teacher at Owen High School in Black Mountain, and Kevin plays for her choirs, and Elizabeth will often come and sing at Trinity as part of the Chancel Choir.

What brought you to Trinity, and what keeps you connected here?

After Kevin finished graduate school in Arizona, a church job took us to Cincinnati, Ohio. From there we began vacationing in the Asheville area. Our first trip here, we were sitting on the rooftop deck at Burial Brewing on the South Slope, and we said to each other “This is a really nice place. Wouldn’t it be great to live here?” The next thought was “Oh but there’s no way the right church job would be open here, right? Especially with the right teaching job too!” Two years later, Trinity was searching for a Music Director. Kevin applied, and the rest is history. Within three weeks of moving to town, Elizabeth was offered a great teaching job in Black Mountain.

What’s a favorite memory you’ve made as a couple?

We have so many, it’s hard to choose a favorite. Many of our favorite memories revolve around the traveling we’ve done together. Two particular trips stand out: A backpacking trip in Grand Gulch in southern Utah to see some amazing ancient ruins, and this past summer’s trip to Barcelona, Spain, when we were lucky enough to eat at one of the world’s best restaurants. Many of our other favorite memories involve times we’ve been able to perform together. Before we were married, we were both involved in a community theatre production of “Beauty and the Beast”, Elizabeth as Belle, and Kevin as the Music Director/Conductor. It was a wonderful opportunity to be the part of something like that together, and Kevin used his stipend to purchase Elizabeth’s engagement ring too!

What’s something simple that always makes you feel connected?

Caring for our pets has always brought us together and helped us through many difficult times. Being able to perform together has also been a source of connection through the years.

What are you looking forward to in this next season of life together?

We’ve moved around quite a bit in the last decade or so. Nowhere has felt like home quite as much as Asheville. We are looking forward to staying in one place for a while, serving our respective programs, and building a community of friends here in the Blue Ridge Mountains.