Love at Fairwinds – Spokane

Feb 15, Alissa Sauer

Love is in the air at Fairwinds – Spokane independent living and assisted living community! Our residents love to tell stories of their early dating days – and we love to hear them. Six of our resident couples, married for a combined 371 years, recently shared their stories with local news station KREM2. Learn more about what brought them together for a lifetime of love in Spokane.

Gary & Noreen

It was love at first sight for Noreen when she first saw Gary. The couple spent their early dating days at Hillyard Hijinks and Natatorium Park and were married about a year after meeting. Gary served as a Spokane firefighter and the couple had three children. After retiring, they split their time between Spokane and Yuma, Arizona. The couple has been married 66 years.

Jim & Sherry

Jim & Sherry met in the early 1960s at a party at a mutual friend’s house and spent their early dating days at the Cathay Inn on Division. “We went there hundreds of times easily,” laughed Jim. “I still do go there every now and again.”

Jim says that he knew he would marry Sherry as early as their third date – and he even told her so. Sherry passed away in 2017 at the age of 73. Jim says, “It was the worst thing” but, on a positive note, proudly welcomed his first great-grandchild. They were married for 54 years, had four children and Jim says they had a good life together.

Howard & Mickey

Howard and Mickey met in 1948 in the eighth grade and eventually became high school sweethearts. Howard proudly notes, “When we started going together in high school she was going with another guy and she broke up with him to come with me.”

After high school the two were married and had four children. After 65 years of marriage, their large family now includes 13 great-grandchildren.

Robert & Bonnie

Robert and Bonnie married in 1947 in the International Falls, Minnesota. Shortly after they moved to Spokane with their two children and a third on the way. Over their 62 year marriage, the couple had five children. Bonnie passed away ten years ago at the age 81 and Bob still becomes emotional talking about her. When asked what he missed most about his wife, he quietly said, “it’s simple. She’s not there.”

Mike & Linda

Mike and Linda met while Mike was on leave from the Navy. Set up by a friend on a blind date, their meeting led to a wedding at St. Aloysius four years later. The couple had two children over their 58 year marriage. 

Donald & Muriel

Donald & Muriel met at Mitchel Air Force Base in New York at a military dance. Muriel lived in the nursing dormitory and attended a dance at the air field where the two met. The two joke that Muriel often had to sneak back into the dormitory after curfew.

The couple was brought to Fairchild Air Force Base in the 1960s and returned to Spokane to raise their family in 1972. The couple has been married for 66 years and has three children.

We’d love to hear your stories of your own early dating days! What local spots did you frequent as a young couple? Share your love stories with us in the comments below.