Allen and Evelyn Frandsen, of Centerfield, celebrated 80 years of marriage Wednesday. The couple was acknowledged by the Utah Governor’s Workplace because the longest-married couple within the state. Rita Gardner
Allen and Evelyn Frandsen celebrated 80 years of marriage Wednesday, making them the longest-married couple in Utah — a file formally acknowledged by the governor's workplace.
The couple was married March 30, 1942, on the Salt Lake Temple, when Allen was 22 years previous, and Evelyn was 21. Based on their daughter, Rita Gardner, the union occurred all by likelihood, or slightly, circumstance.
Allen Frandsen, who grew up within the Gunnison Valley, returned to his hometown to change into a farmer after deciding that faculty wasn't for him. And like most males his age on the time, he additionally enlisted within the Nationwide Guard, and was house on go away in the course of the fall of 1941.
On the identical time, Evelyn, who grew up within the Bennion space of Salt Lake County, had simply graduated from the College of Utah with a double main in enterprise and enterprise schooling, and was provided a job educating enterprise within the South Sanpete College District. To her shock, the job would take her to Gunnison, which Gardner stated was a a lot smaller city than Evelyn had anticipated.
"She had by no means heard of Gunnison and when she got here throughout the hill into Gunnison and noticed what a small city it was, she requested herself, 'What have I gotten myself into?'" Gardner recalled.
It would not take lengthy earlier than the younger man who stayed house in that small city would meet the brand new faculty instructor at a church perform. And whereas their union had candy beginnings, it will quickly be introduced with some challenges.
A couple of days after they met at a Younger Males's/Younger Ladies's assembly of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in November 1941, "they met on the road and Allen requested her for a date," Gardner stated. "On Dec. 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor was bombed and the US declared battle on Japan."
The couple was married that subsequent spring, and would spend the following few years like many couples had: separated resulting from battle.
"Two weeks after being married, (Dad) returned to lively responsibility within the Military," Gardner stated. “(Mom) adopted him wherever he was stationed."
Constructing a life and household collectively
When the battle was over, Allen and Evelyn Frandsen returned to what they knew, and started constructing a life collectively. Allen went again to farming, which earned him many awards, together with "Younger Farmer of the 12 months," and he turned the primary farmer in Gunnison Valley to put in a motorized sprinkling system.
Evelyn went again to educating enterprise at native excessive colleges spanning 14 years, additionally serving because the PTA president.
Each had been very lively of their church and communities. Allen was the mayor of Centerfield and a member of his ward's bishopric for 16 years, whereas Evelyn served on the Metropolis Council, and in her native congregation's Major and Reduction Society presidency.
Amid all of these obligations and accomplishments, Allen and Evelyn Frandsen managed to boost eight kids — all of whom served Latter-day Saint missions, and graduated from Brigham Younger College.
"Being a schoolteacher, (Mom) emphasised the significance of doing properly at school," Gardner stated. "When their oldest daughter turned older, she requested her mother and father what they needed for his or her kids. They informed her that they needed their kids to be lively within the church and to observe the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and to get an schooling with a purpose to assist themselves."
Making marriage final
Supporting one another is what Allen and Evelyn stated has been a key to their marriage's success.
"Dad stated that he tried to make Mom glad, and he or she tried to make him glad and they also had been glad," Gardner stated. "They liked and supported one another within the issues they needed to do and to change into. They deliberate to be married eternally, and they also simply labored issues out and liked one another.
"Mom stated that she loves that Dad by no means acquired offended or raised his voice together with her, and that he has at all times been calm and sort. Dad stated that he loves that Mom loves him and is affected person with him. They stated they love simply being collectively and touring the entire world collectively."
Gardner stated that her mother and father' instance has taught her many issues that she has carried all through her life.
"They taught us to like and settle for everybody it doesn't matter what they did or who they had been," Gardner stated. "Mom taught us to forgive others and proceed to deal with them kindly. They taught us to work onerous and actually. They taught us to at all times select the fitting and observe Christ's instance."