Love Story: Byron and Kay Nernoff, Glen Head

Byron Nernoff of Glen Head recalls how faith played a role in meeting future wife Kay.

In June 1978, I started attending Manhasset Baptist Church, now called Shelter Rock Church. I wanted to help out and volunteered to be an usher. I was 39 and managing a Dunkin' Donuts store in West Hempstead. I'm also a chef and was planning to open my own restaurant.

The pastor, seeing my interest in the church and serving the Lord, asked me to help create a singles group. At first I declined because I was so busy, but other single church members persuaded me to get involved. We started Singles for the Lord, which offered a variety of activities, from house parties to camping and sailing events. Within a year we had a mailing list of 300 names.

One event in 1979 was a restaurant dinner. However, when we realized we hadn't booked a reservation, I invited the group to my home in Roslyn Heights. Everyone brought food and helped set up tables and chairs borrowed from the church.

My friend brought his girlfriend and a friend, a beautiful woman named Kay Medina. When she came through the door I was immediately attracted to her. She had long blond hair, very nice makeup and was wearing high heels. Wow! As group president, I immediately introduced myself and sat next to her at the table.

Kay, 42, was a legal affairs manager at Citibank in Manhattan. Her parents had emigrated from Spain to Puerto Rico, where she was born. I asked for her address and phone number to add to our mailing list, but instead I kept that information for myself.

A few days later, I called and asked her out. She told me our first date would have to be at her church in Dix Hills. I agreed and showed up with Bible in hand. After the service I met her family. I guess I got their approval because she agreed to a dinner date with me.

Kay lived in Fresh Meadows, Queens. Every day I would stop by her apartment after work with a chocolate chip cookie or a doughnut just to see her for a few minutes. We continued dating and eventually began attending my church in Manhasset. Within a few months I proposed and she said yes.

In 1982, we opened The Mustard Seed, a natural foods restaurant in Manhasset, and were married on June 19, just after the grand opening. We ran the restaurant together -- Kay was still working in Manhattan -- until 1984.

She retired in 2004. I'm a real estate broker working on zoning appeals cases. We recently celebrated our 33rd anniversary with friends at Pollos El Paisa restaurant in Westbury. God did have a plan for me, and her name is Kay.