The Green Leaf

Shortly after Mike was demobilized from the Army AirCorps, he returned to The Ohio State University in 1945-1946 to pick up where he had left off  back in 1940-1941, in pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering.

One of the eating establishments that Mike used to like to frequent, as a returning student, was a diner at the corner of 11th Avenue and High Street across from OSU called The Green Leaf Restaurant.

It was not just the delectable fare of The Green Leaf that brought Mike there on a more and more regular basis.  It was a cute, freckle faced waitress who was catching Mike's eye more and more, and one day he decided to ask her for a date.

After everything Mike had endured in the last four to five years in the armed forces, his confidence was pretty well established.  So when he asked this pretty, young waitress for a date, he fully expected to get a positive response.

So, after Mike said to her, on this particular day, "I'll have a tuna on whole wheat, fries, and a coke, and how about a date on Thursday?" And, this pretty, young waitress said, "I'm busy on Thursday.", spun on her heel, and left to place Mike's order, Mike went into a slight tailspin.

Undaunted, Mike thought he would try again when she returned with his food.  

To Mike's delight, when she came back with the order, the pretty, young waitress had a smile on her face.  After she placed his order in front of him, she slid into the seat across from him and said, "I looked a little closer at my schedule, and I'm free on Thursday."

Their conversation continued.  Mike found out that the pretty, young waitress' name was Jane Callahan from New Straitsville, Ohio.  

One date led to another, and another, and on a day in January, 1946, Mike called Jane, and told her he had a surprise for her.  That surprise was an engagement ring.

Mike Halaiko and Jane Callahan were married on August 31, 1946 at St. Augustine's Catholic Church in New Straitsville, Ohio.  Mr. and Mrs. Mike Halaiko did return to OSU where Mike graduated with his long sought after degree in 1947, and the rest is history.

OK.  Here's some more of the history.  Janie and Mike lived in a very cramped apartment on OSU's King Avenue until Mike graduated with his BS in Mechanical Engineering.  Janie typed all of Mike's cryptic papers.  Her advanced secretarial skills were just the beginning of a great partnership.

After graduation, Mike landed his first job at Firestone Steel Products in Mike's hometown of Akron, Ohio.

Janie and Mike lived in apartments in Akron until they could invest in their first home on Harpster Avenue in Kenmore, a section of Akron.

Not long after they arrived in Akron, their first born, Stephen Joseph arrived on August 20, 1948.  

Mike's parents, John and Elizabeth Halaiko, were delighted that Mike and Janie returned to Akron.  Many trips were made out to The Farm in Rootstown to visit them.  John had recently retired from Firestone Steel Products as a Grinder on Steel Truck Rims.  Elizabeth continued her Cottage Industry of raising Chickens and selling eggs.  After retirement, John was able to devote full time to his gentleman farming of raising Dairy Cattle, growing corn, sow beans, hay, and hybridizing his prize fruit trees.  They both were so very proud of Mike and Janie and loved them intensely.

On December 28, 1950, Janie and Mike's second born so arrived.  Best known for his 40 minute Labor and Delivery, and being born in the hallway of St. Thomas Hospital with no attending Physician.