50 Years of Memories

My friend Paula Pressley—“Tina,” as many know her by—had a birthday on Christmas Day. I met her in 1978 when my family moved into her building at Steward Manor Apartments. The Pressleys—Tina, her daughter Audrey, and her identical twin sons Rodney and Ronald—had been living in their second floor unit for about three years by the time we moved there. Her children went to the same school and were in the same grades as my son, Richie, and niece, Jenny, and they forged lasting friendships instantly.

Tina turned 78 on her big day, and 2025 marked another milestone for her—she has lived in that same apartment for 50 years now.

A lot has certainly changed since the Pressley family moved in on June 7, 1975. For starters, monthly rent for their three-bedroom apartment was a mere $240, with utilities included. Tina didn’t need a car, as everything was within short walking distance: Safeway for groceries, Dart Drug for odds and ends, Zayre and Laurel Shopping Center for just about anything else.

Tina worked hard to raise her three kids as a single parent in that apartment—Audrey was five years old and the twins were only three when they moved in. A half century is a long time, but 50 years goes by a lot faster than any of us would’ve believed. It seems like just yesterday we were watching our kids running up and down Woodland Court; and today, our children are older than we were in those days.

On December 12th, Southern Management (the company that owns Steward Manor) threw a party for Tina to mark the occasion. They really went all out, decorating the office with banners and balloons, providing treats and refreshments, and with many representatives of the company on hand to say thank you. Tina also received a free month of rent, which means a lot in today’s tough economy.

It’s nice to see Southern Management do something extra special to make their residents feel appreciated, especially when most communities are only concerned about raising prices. I can remember Steward Manor always being good about celebrating milestones like this, even decades ago. And it’s just amazing to think that Tina is now the resident who’s lived there the longest.

Tina is a friendly person and has always done whatever she could to help others. After all these years that she has lived there, she can tell you many stories about Laurel, and about Steward Manor in particular. You couldn’t begin to count all the neighbors she’s met over the decades. Some became very close to her and her family, which makes for lasting memories.

Although we moved away many years ago, she still fills me in regularly about what’s happening in the neighborhood and the surrounding area. I feel like I’m right back there in Laurel when I hear her stories.

I believe everyone who has ever met Tina genuinely likes her. She’s a hard worker and a good soul. She is a true friend to many people and I’m glad to be counted as one of them.

I wish you all good things, Tina—happy birthday to you, and congratulations! As Steward Manor’s lovely Facebook tribute said, you really are the heart of that community. You always have been.

Carol Friend, now a Northern Virginia resident, lived in Laurel from 1977 to 2007.