FEBRUARY 10 • 2022 | 31

“Friends wanted to fix us up, 
but I didn’t want to go out,” 
Elaine recalls. However, she 
eventually began to fall for 
Mark and the love started to 
grow.
In 1983, the couple got 
married and built a new 
life together. It was always 
full, Elaine says, with work, 
community involvement, 
family and Judaism. Mark 
was a commercial realtor 
while Elaine worked in vet-
erinary care. The B’nai Israel 
members have long enjoyed 
participating in Friday night 
Shabbat Club dinners, call-
ing Judaism the “cement” 
that keeps their relationship 
going strong in difficult 
times, especially in older 
age as they navigate health 
conditions.
“Never go to bed angry” 
and “no one is always right” 
are the two mantras they 
live by, priding themselves 
on their open communi-
cation and respect for one 
another. “He’s just a good 
soul,” Elaine says of Mark. 
“He’s caring, he’s attentive, 
everything about him is so 
sweet and so good.”
For Elaine, Mark would 
go miles — literally. Every 
Friday night since being 
together, Elaine has received 
flowers from Mark. In 1994, 
while flying to Florida to 
celebrate their 11th wedding 
anniversary, Elaine told 
Mark she didn’t need roses 
because they’d be a waste 
sitting at home.
Mark, always clever and 
romantic, developed a solu-
tion to ensure Elaine could 
still get her roses while 
enjoying them at the same 
time. He surprised Elaine 

by purchasing an extra seat 
on the plane to Florida, the 
middle seat between them. 
In that seat: 132 long stem 
roses that he had specially 
delivered, each dozen roses 
representing one year mar-
ried.
“The stewardess sign-
ing us in started smiling 
and laughing because you 
could smell the roses on the 
plane,” Elaine recalls. “Every 
man on the plane learned a 
lesson that day.”
Now, they’re celebrating 
39 years together and hope 
to have many more. In their 
home at Meer Apartments in 
West Bloomfield are many 
pieces of art that the couple 
has created over time. 
“We used to take week-
ends away where we could 
do photography,” Elaine says 
of their shared passion. “A 
lot of the artwork in our 
house is his or mine. We 
liked traveling and taking 
cruises, but it was primarily 
just getting away and being 
alone hiking, walking and 
taking pictures.”
Elaine encourages other 
couples, regardless of age, to 
appreciate every moment. 
“Don’t take your marriage 
for granted,” she says. “It’s 
something that you have 
to work on. It’s a give and 
take.” 

Mark and 
Elaine Segal

To schedule a personal tour and

inquire about move-in specials,

contact Tracey 248-661-1836 TTY# 711

or email: tproghovnick@jslmi.org

