‘It’s the sweet little things.’ Tri-Cities couples celebrate lifetime of love

KENNEWICK

At Brookdale Canyon Lakes, love has lasted long enough to span wars, cancer diagnoses, cross-country moves, and more than a few arguments about laundry.

Ahead of Valentine’s Day, the assisted living community in Kennewick is honoring three resident couples who together represent 180 years of marriage. From high school sweethearts to a blind date that turned into a lifetime, their stories stretch back to the early 1960s and earlier.

Darrell and Jean Mormon have been married 61 years. They met in high school study hall, sitting across the table from each other.

“I liked the miniskirts she wore,” Darrell said with a grin.

Jean remembers him differently.

“He was kind of a bad boy,” she said.

She was class president. He says he was “in the bottom five.” She helped him graduate. After she moved to Portland for work, she bought wedding rings at a pawn shop and told him they were getting married. They were 18 and 19.

Over the years, they raised two sons, welcomed five grandsons, three great-grandchildren, and, finally, a great-great-granddaughter. They built a life that included Boeing, United Nuclear in Finley, and countless family fishing trips.

“When the kids got to be 8 and 9, I got them fishing licenses,” Darrell said. “She said, ‘I’m going with you guys,’ and it’s been that way ever since. It’s been the family. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have made it.”

Jean has battled cancer five times. Darrell said he still sees the girl from high school when he looks at her.

“Just seeing her,” he said when asked what makes him smile.

Nathan and J. Sue Pope, married 62 years, also met in high school. They attended Kennewick High School and began dating after Nathan stepped in when her original homecoming date was grounded.

“I said, ‘Do you want to go?’ And we’ve been together ever since,” Nathan said.

He proposed on Valentine’s Day after asking her father for permission, as was expected at the time. They married at First Lutheran Church in Kennewick. J. Sue borrowed a wedding dress from a friend.

Nathan was drafted into the Army, and the couple began their marriage overseas, stationed in Frankfurt, Germany. Their first child was born there.

“Marriage is like a job. You have to work at it,” Nathan said. “Everybody fights and has arguments, but you have to work through it.”

J. Sue credits patience and understanding.

“He’s thoughtful and funny and caring and loving,” she said. “His smile and the sparkle in his eye sometimes when we’re talking or joking around.”

Arnie and Beverly Holst met on a blind date in Kansas City in 1967. A secretary at Arnie’s office needed him to find a date to attend a Christmas party and knocked on Beverly’s door.

“I said, ‘Sure, I’m not doing anything,’” she recalled.

They met Dec. 9, 1968. By February, he had proposed. They married that September.

“I knew that if I ever had a problem, he’d be there and I could depend on him,” Beverly said.

Now married 57 years, they have four children, 15 grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren. In addition to raising their own family, they spent 30 years as foster parents and cared for more than 100 children.

“We are a natural match,” Beverly said.

Their advice for younger couples is practical.

“You have to keep the other person happy,” Arnie said.

“It’s give and take,” Beverly added. “Sometimes I win. Sometimes he wins. Sometimes we go to separate rooms.”

Together, the three couples at Brookdale Canyon Lakes represent decades of shared meals, moves, holidays, and hospital visits. Their stories differ, but their advice echoes.

“Be patient and understanding,” J. Sue said.

“It’s the sweet little things,” Jean said.

As they prepare for a special Valentine’s dinner at their Kennewick community, their love stories serve as a reminder that lasting marriages are built not on grand gestures alone, but on daily choices to stay, forgive, and keep showing up.