Renaissance Home Senior Living, Northampton, crowned Harvey and Janet Heckman valentine king and queen Feb. 14.

Gloria Gontkosky, activities director for the assisted living facility, has been holding this Valentine’s Day tradition at the facility for 20 years. She explained the selection process and criteria the staff follow “would be similar to how you would pick someone. Everyone has their own way of deciding who to vote for.”

Despite only being crowned officially this year, Harvey and Janet have been each other’s king and queen for 57 years.

“When it’s a husband and wife, I just think that’s a no-brainer,” Gontkosky said. “To be together so long, I think they deserve to be crowned.”

Janet, 85, was introduced to Harvey, 92, through a couple who bowled in the same league as she did.

“At the time, they didn’t like some of the guys that were asking me out and asked if they could introduce me to somebody,” she said. “We have them to thank for all our happy memories.”

When they started dating, Janet was divorced with three young children. They reminisced about how protective her sons and daughter were of her.

“I stood at the door, the boys were crawling all over me,” Harvey said, recounting their first date. “I went to look up at the top stairs and there she was. Wow.”

“We love telling that story,” Janet said with a smile on her face.

Harvey is a U.S. Navy veteran and a graduate of Muhlenberg College. He taught mathematics within the Allentown School District. Janet worked in several industries, including as a secretary at Homer Research Laboratories, a florist and an organist.

Both are loved and cherished by their community, three surviving children, eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Valentine’s Day for them is just as special every year, even without the official title of king and queen. On this date, they also celebrated their son Alan, born on Valentine’s Day, and a seventh great-grandchild, who was born earlier that morning.