Who would have guessed that Bob Silk would cross paths with his future wife, Midge, in the Navy? He recalls their meeting back in the ‘80s. 

“I was stationed at the time on a ship in Japan,” he recalls. “The captain of the ship had a gathering. I showed up and she was there.” Life has never been the same. They didn’t meet again until 3 months later. That’s when Midge burst into the wardroom (the dining lounge for officers) while they were anchored off the coast of Thailand.

“We took up a long-distance relationship and got married in ’86,” says Bob.

Bob, who worked in Naval Intelligence, hails from Tennessee. “I’m just a small-town boy who grew up in Tennessee and got to see the world,” he candidly comments. His wife? She is originally from Wisconsin. The Silks eventually settled in Florida in 1993 after Bob’s assignment with Central Command. As Bob says, “We found a house and home and have been here ever since.” 

Venetian Isles was the perfect place to put down roots, especially for Bob’s sailboat. Their house was also in high demand. “Several times after we bought the house, our REALTOR® stopped by and said, ‘I can get you a good price, two times what you have paid.’” Bob wasn’t fazed. “We love it here,” he told her. “Plus, we could never afford to move back in,” he laughs. 

While Bob was serving our nation in the Navy, Midge had her own impressive career. She worked as an auditor for Cargill, an international organization handling food distribution, and even spent time working for the Berlin Budget Management Office located in the former American Embassy in Bonn. After marrying Bob, she transitioned to teaching preschool at LCC, which she still does today. Through it all, Bob remains a steadfast supporter of the Navy, confident that it “beats Army any day.” 

Together, they raised three daughters across Maryland, Virginia, Colorado, and, finally, Florida. Their girls thrived in unique experiences like SCUBAnauts International, a leadership program through marine science for teens, where they learned how to scuba dive and engaged in global marine projects. “I credit their success to that program as well as their parents,” Bob says.

Now, the Silks are embracing a new chapter: grandparents. Their three-year-old granddaughter and nearly one-year-old grandson live close enough for frequent visits, keeping the Silks’ days full of fun with little ones. Midge enjoys planning her days to spend precious time with their daughter, a REALTOR® and her family before future Navy assignments take them to California.

At home, Midge and Bob share their lives with two greyhounds, Ozzy and Huckleberry. Ozzy, a retired racer, enjoys calm walks and gentle affection, while Huckleberry, younger and full of energy, zips around their backyard track in a flash. “They’re 40 mile an hour couch potatoes with a lot of get-up-and-go,” Bob jokes. Both dogs are lap lovers, though, at nearly 70 pounds each, that’s a big lap to claim!

Life hasn’t always been smooth sailing, though. Hurricane Helene caused flooding that forced them out of their home, but Bob’s handy skills kept them moving forward. “I can turn a screwdriver and paint,” he says. “If it wasn’t for Helene, I would be much farther along in retirement,” he laughs. 

From international adventures to backyard dog races, Midge and Bob Silk are living a wonderful life here in Venetian Isles and making every chapter of life count. Their two dogs, three daughters, and two grandchildren are bringing happiness to their lives, one day at a time.