When Marlin Charles Legault and Frances Jane Fischer met at a USO dance at Ellsworth Air Force Base near Rapid City, S.D., little did they know that seven decades later they would be celebrating their 70th anniversary with their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren at their favorite restaurant in Platte City, Mo. where Marlin ordered his traditional sake and shared stir fry with Frances.
Frances and Marlin Legault
Fischer and Legault were married Feb. 22, 1951 in the courthouse in Rapid City. They later married again at a chapel with family members present in June, 1951.
“When I met Marlin, who was stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base when he was in the Air Force, at the USO dance, he was doing some magic tricks for the audience,” Frances said. “I knew he was the right one after the second time we danced.”
Marlin said the highlights of his marriage are his nine children, and his second enduring highlight was serving in the Air Force in a war zone, along with his involvement in locating space capsules and taking part in two atomic tests.
He also believes some people are meant to be together. “The chemistry just kicked in,” Marlin said. “My fondest memories of marriage and family are of Frances’ family taking me into the Fischer clan as a member and my family’s acceptance of Frances.”
Because her dad had to travel overseas for long periods of time while he was in the service, Doreen Chandler, one of the couple’s daughters, remembers helping her mom take care of her eight siblings.
“I learned to help when I was around 6 or 7 and as a teen I did a lot of babysitting,” Chandler said. “About middle school I helped with meals. When my dad came home he would cook breakfast, help us get ready for school and help with the laundry. When we moved to military housing we walked to the swimming pool almost every day during the summer. In the fifth grade we had a new student that could only speak Spanish. My teacher asked me to help her learn English so I would go to her house in the evening and the family would share their dinner with me.”
Marlin believes the secret to a long, happy marriage is treating each other with love and respect, while Frances thinks the most important part of a happy marriage is forgiving others and respecting the oath to God.
“In our case, we never went to bed angry with each other and always hugged each other in the morning,” Marlin said.
If a young person asked Frances for advice on marriage, she advises that if you can make a commitment for life, go ahead and marry.
Family life for the Legaults was very traditional. The kids all had chores and helped around the house. Chandler’s favorite chore was folding clothes from the dryer because she could watch TV at the same time. “My dad loved the old Westerns and magic shows,” Chandler said. “My mom liked dramas like Perry Mason. Of course, we all enjoyed cartoons and the Mickey Mouse show. The older kids were in charge of doing the dishes which wasn’t bad since dad always invested in the latest appliances. We moved a lot and had to learn to make new friends and leave the old ones behind. It became pretty easy because as young siblings we got along pretty well. But starting middle school and high school we didn’t get along. Some of my siblings started running away from home and it was a difficult time for my parents.”
Marlin’s favorite things about his wife are many. “Her eyes light up when she smiles,” Marlin said. “She is respectful to other people and makes friends easily. She is very organized and neat. Frances eats healthy foods and exercises. We would go for walks after dinner with the kids and never had weight problems. She is an excellent seamstress and made clothes for the kids. In addition, she is a fantastic artist, painting beautiful oil pictures of flowers and nature.”
Francis was a housewife and mother most of her life but became a store manager for a women’s clothing store in the 1980s. Marlin retired after 30 years with the Air Force and had lots of hobbies. They both worked for Chandler at a tree nursery for a few years. They bought a new house in Platte City and are active in their parish, VFW and other community services.
For Frances, the highlights of her 70-year marriage include traveling a lot from base to base where Marlin did his USO magic shows. Asked if she and Marlin were meant to be together, she believes “whatever will be, will be.”
Her fondest memories of marriage and family are Sunday dinners with the whole family.
“My favorite thing about Marlin is his generosity and his sense of humor,” Frances said.