Jeff and Delicia Wallnofer enjoy participating in historical re-enactments with their three children — but their history didn’t start out perfect.
As far as love stories go, Jeff and Delicia Wallnofer’s had a rocky start.
Now happily married, the Wallnofers first met, albeit virtually, through an AOL chat room for Mason-Dixon Line Civil War re-enactors. At that time, Delicia was relatively new to the rule-filled world of re-enacting.
“I was still starting to learn how things worked and how things didn’t work,” Delicia said.
Occasionally, arguments started in the chat room over proper behavior at re-enactment events: everything ranging from proper clothing to appropriate camping gear. When Jeff inserted himself in chat room spats, Delicia frequently jumped in on the opposing side.
“We never got into it,” Delicia said. “I would defend people he started arguments with.”
Things didn’t go much better when the Wallnofers met in person for the first time. As part of their chat room’s online group, they individually decided to attend the 135th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, an event that was held in the first week of July in 1998.
“The chat room decided because so many people were coming, we’ve got to put faces to screen names,” Delicia said.
Though they were part of the same chat room, they both had their own group of friends whom they spent time with at the re-enactment. While watching a pre-battle, one of Delicia’s friends told her about a friend she wanted Delicia to meet who also was at the event.
Having just ended a relationship, Delicia was uninterested in meeting someone new.
Her friend, however, was adamant. Hoping to end the conversation once and for all, Delicia gave in and agreed to a meet and greet.
Much to Delicia’s dismay, her matchmaking friend had paired her with her online rival: Jeff.
After recognizing their screen names and associating it with their predetermined dislike of each other, Jeff and Delicia each offered a quick, gruff ‘hello’ before going their separate ways.
“He ignored me,” Delicia said. “Then I spent the next two days complaining about him.”
Jeff, who admits that back then he was young and “mouthy,” still defends his initial behavior.
“I was shy at the time,” he said.
But as the week progressed, relations between the would-be rivals improved. They began attending the same events at Gettysburg, eventually leading Jeff to give his now-wife a second chance.
“She seemed like she was nice,” Jeff said. “I started talking to her.”
“I guess he figured if everybody else in the room could stand me, I wasn’t that bad,” Delicia added.
Once the week-long re-enactment ended, Jeff and Delicia continued to stay in touch. They began messaging each other outside of the chat room and occasionally talked on the phone.
By June 1999, Jeff and Delicia were engaged. They began planning a re-enactment wedding, which Delicia said turned into a “logistical nightmare.” Throwing their wedding plans to the side, the Wallnofers eloped after spending a weekend together at a re-enactment.
“We did it the fun way,” Delicia said.
The Wallnofers settled in Plant City. Delicia’s grandparents were in Florida, and she wanted to be around to take care of her family members. Because Jeff is from Baltimore and Delicia is originally from Virginia, the pair eventually hopes to move somewhere in the middle of the two states.
The Wallnofers have three children: Paige, Virginia and Carmen. Their oldest daughter, Paige, is a student at Plant City High School, where she is a manager for both the football team and the wrestling team.
Between sporting events, the Wallnofers are passing on their love of re-enacting to their children. Delicia is the president of Plant City’s chapter of the Daughters of the Confederacy, and Paige is the treasurer for the national board of the Children of the Confederacy.
RUNNERS-UP: PAUL & MELISSA RANIERI
The last decade has been full of surprises — and some hardships — for couple Paul and Melissa Ranieri.
Paul and Melissa met through mutual friends when they were college students. Melissa was a student at the University of South Florida while Paul was attending Florida State University.
“We just ended up really hitting it off,” Melissa said.
The couple had a long-distance relationship for two years and stayed in frequent contact through phone calls, emails and AOL Instant Messenger. They moved in together after Paul graduated.
“I never made it back to my parents’ house,” Paul said.
They were married on May 27, 2006.
But it hasn’t all been easy for the couple. When Melissa was pregnant with Evan, the couple’s youngest son, they were told that he would need a kidney transplant.
“We didn’t know what the outcome was going to be,” Paul said.
The couple didn’t have time to prepare because of Evan’s immediate need for surgery. They didn’t have a baby shower or paint his nursery.
“It was definitely testing on our marriage,” Melissa said.
Many of their conversations about the future were held late at night, when they were in bed with the lights out. But they were in it together, for better or for worse. They played off each others’ strengths and weaknesses.
“We never could do what we did alone,” Melissa said. “We knew we had to go through this together.”
Melissa ended up being Evan’s kidney donor. Though he will need another transplant in his lifetime, the couple says they are “on the other side of the hurdle.”
The couple’s oldest child, daughter Avery, has food allergies. Melissa has become an advocate for both of her children and frequently shares her story and expresses her gratitude for the pediatric unit at Tampa General Hospital, where Evan was treated. The couple has held multiple fundraisers, and Melissa has spoken at at least six speaking engagements.
“She’s a great mother,” Paul said.
Their children take top priority, but Paul and Melissa still make time for themselves and their friends whenever possible. They throw family-friendly parties whenever they get the chance. Though they rarely have a moment for themselves — they’ve only ever been away from their kids overnight once — they enjoy their time spent as a family.
In their free time, the couple enjoys visiting with their children, especially going to the Union Station Depot and local antique stores.
“We spend 95% of our weekend time together as a family,” Melissa said.
The Ranieris consider themselves to be a normal couple, despite what they’ve been through. They enjoy binge-watching Netflix shows on the couch, especially hit favorites like “Making a Murderer,” “New Girl” and the ultra-relatable “Parenthood.”
“We love just opening up a bottle of wine and sitting on the couch,” Melissa said.
The couple will be holding an anniversary in the spring to mark their 10-year marriage milestone. They will be renewing their vows.
“Because of everything we’ve been through as a family, we want to show appreciation for the friends and family who have supported (us),” Melissa said. “It’s more of us saying thank you to all the people along the way, new and old friends.”
Contact Emily Topper at etopper@plantcityobserver.com.
PRIZES
Both couples win a special Valentine’s Day gift from Valerie’s Attic, a boutique in Historic Downtown Plant City.
Valerie’s Attic
Where: 105 S. Collins St.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays; extended hours during monthly Bike Fest and Strawberry Classic Car Show events
Phone: (813) 482-8985
