High school, 1998, Ben and Linsey Uphoff meet for the first time. Despite previously knowing each other because of mutual friends, they had their first real one-on-one conversation in the music store where Ben worked. This seemingly insignificant moment was actually the start of something huge.

They went on their first date in January of that year, going to mini golf and then a movie with two other couples they were friends with. It was an awkward and quiet date, as they barely knew each other, and they were both left unsure about it afterward. 

“Our first date was crazy. We went on a triple date with two of my friends and two of her friends, and we were in Minnesota at the time, so we drove up to the Mall of America, and they have indoor mini golf. So we did that, and she hardly said a word to me, hardly looked at me, anything,” said Ben Uphoff.

Despite the awkwardness, they both wanted a second date. That second date turned into a third, and many more as their relationship progressed. Their relationship started slowly, as they both became more comfortable with each other. Linsey in particular seemed shy at the beginning.

“She didn’t exactly make it easy, she made me work for it. She didn’t want to just give in. Not with kissing or physical stuff or anything, she just didn’t let on that she was into me at all. So I had to keep going back and asking her out again,” said Ben. “At first, I was left unsure. I wasn’t really sure of how she felt about me, because she wasn’t one that put her feelings directly out. So I had to work at it a little bit and convince her that I was trying to date her for all the right reasons and not the wrong ones.”

They got to know each other as they were dating, so they became friends as well as partners. It is because of this that those around them believe they work so well together.

“Whatever we did, whether we just stayed at home and hung out, or if we actually went out on a date somewhere, it wasn’t just hanging out with my boyfriend, he was also a friend that I was getting to know. And our friendship just kept getting stronger and stronger. So as I kept getting to know him on a personal, friendly level, that’s what truly strengthened our relationship,” said Linsey Uphoff.

They arrived at their first real problem when Ben went to college. They started dating when Ben was a senior and Linsey was a sophomore, so Linsey was still in high school at the time. They were long-distance for a while, and they were both uncertain whether they would last through this issue, but attempted nonetheless.

“We had a long-distance relationship for a while also, so I was still in high school and he was in college, and I kind of thought that’s where it would fizzle out to an end, just because we were so young and far apart, but we still kept in contact. and we just kind of stuck together and made it work,” said Linsey.

It was difficult for the both of them to be so far apart, but their bond was strong enough that they made it through those years. They saw each other as much as possible, but that could not substitute for being together all the time.

“It was really hard. I felt like I was missing another half, and she would come and visit as much as she could, but it was difficult. It was definitely an adjustment. I just felt like I was always missing that one thing,” said Ben.

Years later, after Ben had graduated, and Linsey was a senior in college, they had both gone home for the holidays. Linsey was close to graduating, and she was planning what her future would look like. She had a conversation with Ben about whether they would move in together, and he said something that made her feel unsure about their relationship, so much so that Linsey was so worried that they might break up. Which is why she was completely blown away when he proposed.

“We’d been together for so long, and we’d been through so much, that’s where I felt like we were going. So I felt relieved that he also felt like that, that I wasn’t the only one. I don’t remember exactly what he said, but he said something about me becoming his wife and giving me the ring, and it was a beautiful ring,” said Linsey.

On October 29, 2005, Ben and Linsey Uphoff got officially married. They got married on Fort Myers Beach after looking for a venue for 9 months. They had a simple wedding that didn’t take much planning, but they loved every part of it anyway.

“Our wedding was one of the greatest days of my life. All of our friends from high school and college and all of our family flew down because most of them are from Minnesota or other parts of the country. The weather was amazing. We were on the beach with all of our family and friends. Our family still talks about those three or four days as being just like one of the greatest weekends ever. It was just filled with positivity and fun and the beach. I mean, it couldn’t get any better than that,” said Ben.

Not long after they got married, the Uphoffs decided to start having children. They had two boys and one girl in four years. Both of their lives changed after having children, for obvious reasons, but also because they’ve been working together as a team for so long that they manage it.

“After having kids, it became harder, because there’s a lot more to manage. There’s a lot more at stake. But we’ve both always been working parents, so our mentality, especially with the kids, is like divide and conquer because our children are really close in age,” said Linsey.

Ben and Linsey Uphoff have worked together for ten years, eight of them being at Diplomat Middle School where they both worked as sixth-grade English teachers. Their classrooms were right next to each other, so they saw each other often. Now they work at Cape Coral High School, where they don’t see each other as often during the school day. Ben works as the ninth-grade resource teacher and Linsey is a ninth-grade English teacher as well as the class of 2028 sponsor.

“I love Linsey and Ben, I think very highly of them. I consider them both to be ‘salt of the earth’ people. I would call on them for support and could trust them both. They are both so much fun and family-oriented.  I think they have a very special relationship that is based on friendship–the best kind–they truly love hanging out together,” said Cape High IB counselor Caroline Toadvine.

The Toadvines have known the Uphoffs for over 12 years. They see the Uphoffs at work almost every day and hang out at each other’s houses on the weekends.

“Mrs. Uphoff is amazing. She will do anything necessary to make the student experience at Cape High amazing. She is the first to offer support and is always someone you can count on. Mr. Uphoff is amazing as well. He is extremely diligent and hardworking. He manages this while keeping the environment light and fun,” said Cape High assistant principal Mathew Toadvine.

The Uphoffs balance their home and work lives separately but consistently work as a team throughout every problem and issue they face. They have lasted since high school and are confident their bond has only gotten stronger. 

“I think everything has come full circle and I am where I am today because I’ve listened to the universe. I feel like, in our day-to-day lives, there are signs that kind of point us in the direction that we’re supposed to go. And if you pay attention to those signs and really listen to what they’re trying to tell you, you will get to where you’re supposed to be,” said Linsey. “I really think listening to those signs has guided me here, which is where I’m supposed to be, not only at Cape, but also in my marriage, with my children, and with my life.”