Shirley Raczkiewicz & Roy Longwell married October 26, 1957

Happy anniversary today to my parents, Roy Longwell and Shirley (Raczkiewicz) Longwell! In 1957, Roy Longwell (my father) and his friend Paul Plasman (later owner with his friend Bill Pearson of Bill and Paul’s Sporthaus”) were living on their sailboat Kismet at Bay Haven in Holland, Michigan as they restored it. Shirley often visited the marina because her older sister Lorraine and her husband, John Dykstra had a boat. Later, the Dykstras enjoyed their boat and slip and membership at Singapore Yacht Club in Saugatuck, Michigan with an active social life. ***** Paul was dating Shirley Raczkiewicz, who worked at St. Mary’s Hospital. Paul was in a serious car accident so when Paul was in the hospital, Roy was happy to bring Shirley to the hospital to visit him. With Paul’s blessing, Roy and Shirley eventually began to date. Paul was his best man when they were soon married at St. Adalbert’s Church, October 26, 1957. Paul recovered and went on to marry and start Bill and Paul’s Sporthaus with his friend Bill Pearson in 1961. ***** Since Roy wasn’t a Catholic, Shirley and Roy needed to promise to raise their children as Catholics. Shirley didn’t know that Roy was taking classes to be a Catholic as a surprise to her and she would have waited to get married if she had known. Shirley signed an “Ante Nuptial Agreement, Non Catholic Party” on September 19, 1957 which indicated that if she were given permission to marry a non-Catholic, that the couple would raise their children as Catholic. ***** Like her sister Lorraine, Shirley was part of the first generation of the children of Polish immigrants to marry outside of Polish Catholicism, though her husband Roy did later convert to Catholicism and embraced many of the social customs of the westside Polish people. Later Roy was confirmed when his daughter Paulette (me!) was confirmed. ***** From the newspaper: “Shirley married Roy Howard Longwell October 26, 1957 in Michigan. when she was 21 years old at St. Adalbert Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Parents of the bride were Anthony and Paulina Raczkiewicz from Grand Rapids, Michigan and parents of the groom were Leo and Naomi Longwell from Lake Odessa, Michigan. Maid of honor was Miss Dorothy Karas and best man was Mr. Paul Plasman. Bridesmaids were Miss Rosemary Host, Mrs. John Dykstra, Miss Sandra Dykstra, Miss Patricia Wysocki. Ushers were Ronald Raczkiewicz, Mr. John Dykstra, Jr., Mr. Anthony Raczkiewicz, Jr. Ring bearer was. Michael Lyon and miniature bride was Yvonne Denise Raczkiewicz. A breakfast was held at St. Hyacinth’s Hall with a reception in the evening. The couple resided at 115 Madison Avenue, Grand Rapids, Michigan after their honeymoon in North Dakota.”