Bright light over Yakima Valley in about 1978

We were on the hill North East of the city of Sunnyside,Washington. There were four of us and I don't remember Who it was, But they looked up and said, "hey! look at that falling star;" and we all looked up and it was a bright falling star, "we thought" heading right for us.  Then as it dropped closer to us it was actually a few miles to the south west at about the center of the city of Sunnyside. I thought it would hit and then it slowed down and stopped about a half mile above the city. it stayed there about 20 seconds to the best of my memory.
We started to kid around and said things like, "You see that?.....No, I didn't see anything...You...no not me"  Then in the blink of an eye it was over Mabton, about 6 miles to the south of Sunnyside. The light still in Sunnyside then followed to Mabton. Almost like the flash of a sparkler when you Swing it around in the dark during the fourth of July as a kid. Same light anyway, then after another 20 seconds or so it shot toward Toppenish and arched up into the sky till is blended into the stars and was gone. One guy joined the Air Force later after High School and I have never talked to him about it, maybe some day. He did want to know more about what we seen that day. (This was a very bright round light, like a florecent only brighter)
Witness indicates that date of incident is approximate.  PD