02/12/2026
💕 Love is in the air at Holladay Park Plaza!
This Valentine’s Day, residents were invited to share their love stories—from first connections to unforgettable moments that shaped a lifetime. Meet Michal, who shared the story of how a longtime friendship, a late-night road trip, and a summer at the Seattle World’s Fair turned into a love that lasted 27 years.
“I had known John since eighth grade. He was one of the guys in my friend group, and we spent plenty of time together at basement parties and outings with friends—but never as a couple.
Our first real date didn’t come until years later, when we were both home for the summer during college. In 1962, a group of friends picked John up from his shift at the cannery at 11 p.m., and we drove through the night in an old Chevy to the Seattle World’s Fair. We saw all the exhibits, ate crazy fair food, and got him back just in time for his next shift.
After that, John began courting me—driving up on weekends to take me to dances at OSU. We were married just after graduation and built a life together, raising two daughters and sharing 27 wonderful years before John passed away in 1992.”
—Michal, Holladay Park Plaza Resident
