Frankie King didn’t have a fancy wedding anniversary. It was in 1944 – at the height of World War II – when her high school friend Royce became her fiancé. But like many young men at the time, Royce joined the military and was transferred to a base in another state.
“He was a lieutenant in the Air Force … he just got his pilot’s wings,” her daughter Sue Bilodeau told CBS News. “He was given a short vacation. They were engaged for about six months, so they decided to have a wedding before he was sent abroad.”
Royce returned to Oelwein, Iowa, to marry his bride. It’s a small town, said Bilodeau, so her mother had nowhere to buy a wedding dress. “You only had a few days in advance,” she said.
Frankie and Royce King were high school lovers who got engaged during World War II, just before Royce was deployed overseas. / Photo credit: Sue Bilodeau
The couple tied the knot quickly, but what their wedding planning lacked in length, their marriage more than made up for it. During the next 77 years they had two children together, they welcomed four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
They still live in Oelwein and are looked after at home by a hospice nurse at the age of 97 and 98.
On September 16, her 77th wedding anniversary, her nurse asked Frankie if she could see a photo of their wedding anniversary. “And mom said, ‘Well, we don’t have a picture because we didn’t have a photographer that day,'” said Bilodeau.
The nurse who works for St. Croix Hospice was inspired to help the couple get some long-awaited wedding photos. The hospice group began organizing a photo shoot where a staff member donated a wedding dress to Frankie and the St. Croix music therapist agreed to play music for the event.
Bilodeau, who now lives in California, happened to be in town to visit her parents when their wedding was taking place. “I helped her get dressed in her bedroom, helped her put on the dress. And it was really sweet and touching the way she looked at herself in the dress, ”said Bilodeau. “She said, ‘Should I wear my glasses or not? I didn’t have glasses that day.’ And I said, ‘Wear your glasses, you’re beautiful.’ “
The story goes on
Frankie and Royce’s daughter, Sue Bilodeau, was visiting Iowa when the St. Croix Hospice arranged the wedding photo shoot. / Photo credit: Sue Bilodeau
Bilodeau said her mother was honored to wear a wedding dress and felt special. Royce agreed. He was standing outside, in his original Air Force uniform, in which he had married Frankie, with a handkerchief in front of his eyes. “He was really excited to be able to dress up for mom,” said her daughter.
When it was time for his “first look” at his bride, Royce took off his blindfold as she crossed the courtyard in her white dress. “He just looked at her and just beamed. They both did. It was very cute, ”said Bilodeau.
Royce wore his original Air Force uniform and Frankie wore her first wedding dress, which was donated by a staff member at St. Croix Hospice. / Photo credit: Sue Bilodeau
They may not have photos from their original wedding, but they still had memories of that day in their hearts.
“I could only tell from Dad’s reaction how touched he was to see Mom standing in front of him in such a beautiful dress,” said Bilodeau. “I think they just went back to their time. There was music playing … it was such a beautiful setting outside, it was such a beautiful day, and I think it didn’t take much to transport them back. And I think that moved her very much. “
Bilodeau said Frankie was asked what her secret was for a long marriage. “Patience,” she said.
“This is a couple who grew up together in the same small town. They even met before high school … and they got married shortly after, ”said Bilodeau. “Something to take away [from this story] would have been through a lot – like everyone else – year after year. And through struggles and good times, they managed to find a way to put their love and devotion above everything else to make it work. “
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The couple got married again 77 years after the wedding
