Seattle homes that were built nearly a century ago are full of architectural character, charm, and wonderful regional history. Thanks to accurately kept censes records, newspaper clippings, and immigration records, we can piece together the story of the original owners, the Nenezich family, who emigrated from eastern Europe, sold groceries to locals, and raised four children in this lovely home.
The original owners, Nicoli (Nick) Nenezich of Montenegro and Mary Tomanovitch Nenezich of Czechoslovakia, came to America via New York in 1903. The couple met in New York shortly after their arrival and married 2 years later. The couple worked hard in New York as grocery retailers and saved a percentage of each paycheck for the move west. After the birth of their first child, they made the long trip to Seattle and opened their own grocery store. In 1916 they purchased the home at 4526 38th Ave South.
Soon after Daughter Millie was born, came John, Mike, and Peter. The children raised in this home had interesting lives and careers and went on to help build our unique city. Millie worked as a telephone operator then a reporter and Mike worked as a bakery sales/delivery person. Things got really interesting when John, the couple’s second born described by family and friends as a real character, blazed his own trail.
John Nenezich attended Franklin High School and was a fine athlete excelling in baseball and boxing. He trained at the Columbia City boxing gym and fought professionally as "Dynamite Johnny Morgan". Unfortunately, this professional status as a boxer made him ineligible for his true calling as a high school or college baseball player.
He loved the game so much, he found work as an umpire for Seattle Public Schools and also in minor league ball with the Seattle Rainiers and was known as a fair and tough umpire. He was also a member of the Washington State Boxing Commission and judged over 1000 fights during his career.
"He was a lively, friendly guy who could make fun of himself and loved to tell stories.” said Seattle Times columnist Emmett Watson, a friend since the 1930s, when Watson played high-school baseball and Mr. Nenezich "umped" it.
Edo Vanni, a popular former Seattle Rainier player and manager, recalled that John Nenezich was an incredibly generous man. "He dug down deep in his pockets many a time to help out some of the old guys, particularly the old ball players."
In order to keep busy off-season and earn extra money, John Nenezich worked as a bartender and lunchtime host at Seattle's Metropolitan Grill. He was well known by regulars as a character, and handed out business cards that read:
John Nenezich: soldier of fortune, a soft-shoe dancer, a tiger-tamer, riverboat gambler and the last of the big-time spenders.
"He was a good old feisty character who could get a laugh out of almost anybody," said Bill Rynd, the restaurant's general manager in 1997. Even though the restaurant doesn't open until 11 a.m., Mr. Nenezich would show up between 7 and 8 a.m. every weekday "to keep everybody else here in line."
This wonderful home is waiting for the next owner to continue the Seattle story and pursue their own dreams and opportunities.