Last week, we asked readers to submit their stories of how they first met, so we could share them in time for Valentine’s Day. Enjoy!
Patience pays off
Jack and I met in the most unexpected way — thanks to my sister’s boyfriend and his grand idea to film a Vietnam war movie in my parents’ basement. He needed a lead actor and brought Jack over to check out his homemade camera boom. I heard the commotion and rushed downstairs — then I saw him. For me, it was love at first sight. For Jack? Well, he had eyes for my sisters.
I tried everything to get his attention as we volunteered together backstage on Greater Seattle Productions, but he remained completely unaware of my feelings. After months of trying, I finally gave up and started talking to another boy. That’s when Jack suddenly noticed me. From that moment on, we were inseparable. We married in 1967, raised three beautiful daughters in our home in north Edmonds, and shared nearly 53 wonderful years together until he passed away in early 2020. He was the love of my life, and I was his “everything.” I miss him every single day.
— Jeri Cusimano
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City girl meets country boy
We met on a blind date, which involved me driving to his house in Maple Valley. I lived in Seattle. Talk about city girl/country boy! We went for an hike in the woods. And talked and talked.
When we got back to his house, he asked if I wanted to stay for dinner; he had put a roast in the crock pot! I thought to myself…wow! He has a crock pot and knows how to use it! Knowing I had only come for the meet and greet, I said no.
He then asked, “Where do we go from here?” I said, “Can we sleep on it?”
When I arrived home, I knew he was someone I wanted to see again. So I sent him an email:
1. I should have used the bathroom before I left.
2. I am kinda hungry, so I should have stayed for dinner.
3. And I don’t need to sleep on it. I’d like to see you again!
That was 15 years ago!
— Cheryl Shawlee
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It was a dark and stormy night…
It was a cold, stormy November night, 34 years ago, that Bill knocked on Jeanne’s front door. A mutual friend had encouraged this first get-together. We spent the evening by the fire, and then the power went out! The house was down a long road, surrounded by tall trees, and it was pitch black inside and out.
At the end of the evening, Bill said he should head home and Jeanne had tears in her eyes. She had never been alone in the house with the power out. So Bill suggested that Jeanne go upstairs and get some sleep and he would stay in the house, sitting by the fire. As it turned out, they both sat in front of the fire all night, and when daylight came, Bill went home.
It was the start of a wonderful relationship.
— Jeanne Mazzoni
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Blazing the trail for online romance
Back in 1995, Renee and I met in one of the most ’90s ways possible — an AOL chat room. We were both hanging out in the “Seattle” room; I was in Seattle, and she was in Bellevue. After some fun back-and-forth, I somehow convinced her to switch to a phone call. Just two nights later, we had our first date at the iconic Dahlia Lounge in downtown Seattle. Six months after that, I proposed. She said yes, and a year later we were married in Bellevue. It still feels wild to say it out loud: We were one of the very first online love stories (and people thought it was weird in those days!).
— David Kaufer
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Reconnecting at age 86
Mac Vujovich and I married on Nov. 30, 2019; we were both just 86 years young. That’s right, we are both 92 now. Mac and I grew up together in Bellingham and have known each other since we were in grammar school. We even went to high school prom together! We both married; however, not to each other.
My former husband and I — along with Mac and his former wife — moved to Shoreline and lived just blocks apart from each other at one time. We led our happy married lives for several years but always managed to stay in touch. It wasn’t until our spouses passed that I approached Mac, and I suggested that we get together. Well, he ran with it! We are happy as can be and best friends. I have 11 grandchildren and Mac has four. We are very lucky Valentines.
— Nancy Vujovich
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A marriage class leads to the real thing
Two strangers, whose ages differed by three years, both enrolled in Wartburg College, a Lutheran institution, at the same time. Like all freshmen, they were required to take a specific course and were assigned to the same class time for it. This class was where Roger and I met. The course was titled “Building Your Marriage.”
The year was 1956. In 1958, we were married — and still are. On June 7, 2025 we will celebrate our 67th anniversary. Our class term papers are still works in progress.
— Lee Lageschulte
We still sit together at church
I was working and living alone in San Francisco, and it had been a difficult year. On the morning of my 23rd birthday, I decided to attend the service at a lovely, old church across town. We were singing the opening hymn when the usher seated a nice-looking man next to me. When he passed me the collection plate, I noticed there was no ring on his left hand. After church, we talked during the social time. He said the singles group was going to Lake Tahoe skiing the following weekend and invited me to come along. We had similar backgrounds, similar hopes, plans and dreams for life. We fell in love quickly, were engaged in a few weeks, and married seven months later. Although it all happened in such a short time, we’ve been married 56 years, have lived in Edmonds for 52 years, and still sit together in church.
— Trudy Dana
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Finding love at Trader Joe’s
After a 25-year career with Seattle City Light, Larry was done with the daily grind of commuting and took early retirement. Too young for the rocking chair, he found a part-time job checking groceries and stocking shelves at Trader Joe’s in Lynnwood.
For the previous 17 years Janice had been living in Tucson, snowbirding every summer to escape the heat and spend time with her family in Lynnwood and Everett.
Their paths crossed on Aug. 15, 2009.
Larry was greeting customers at Trader Joe’s front door, and Janice and her sister dropped in to pick up a bag of sugar. “Welcome to Trader Joe’s,” he said. “Do you have any questions, can I help you find anything?”
While her sister took off for the grocery aisle to get sugar, Janice stayed by the door and struck up a conversation with Larry. She spoke of Tucson, the joys and challenges of snowbirding, and her dream to buy land in the Sonoran Desert and build a rammed earth home.
Janice’s sister soon reappeared with her sugar. As the two turned to leave, Janice turned around and went back to Larry, asking, “Would you like to share emails?”
They had their first date a week later at Under the Red Umbrella, an Everett coffee shop. Coffee went so well that they extended it with lunch at a Mediterranean café, finishing off the afternoon with a beach walk on Jetty Island.
Janice never built that rammed earth home. The two kept up contact, and the next spring she relocated to Edmonds. They’ve been together ever since
— Larry Vogel
What a great start to the day. Thank you for these wonderful love stories.
Our paths are purposeful whether we realize it or not at the time.
Wonderful stories thank you for sharing everybody.
I knew Mac for sure and maybe Nancy from Bellingham and Mac also from Shoreline. They graduated high school with my sister, Joan, who lives in Pasco. Congratulations on your refinding one another. Great story!