CENTERFIELD, Utah — Utah In 1942, World War II was raging, Franklin Delano Roosevelt was president, and the love story ‘Casablanca’ was in theaters.
But in Utah, the love story of Allan and Evelyn Frandsen was just beginning.
“I think you need to tell each other every day how much you love each other,” said 102 year-old Allen Frandsen.
“He’s the first boy I ever went with that I felt completely at ease with,” said his wife Evelyn, who is 101.
The couple tied the know on March 22, 1942, and have now been happily married 80 years.
“It depends on the attitude. If you want to succeed you can, if you don’t care, you probably won’t. I want to always do things to make her happy, she always wanted to do things to make me happy,” said Allen Frandsen.
He was serving in World War Two when they met – home on a short leave to help with the family farm in Clarion, Utah, when the two met at a church program.
Evelyn had recently moved from Salt Lake City to central Utah to work as a teacher.
“When I first looked over the valley I thought ‘my goodness, what have I gotten myself into’ I’d never been to a small town before, but I loved it” said Evelyn Frandsen, adding “My brothers would tease me. ‘You’ll just go down there and find a farm boy and you’ll marry him’ and I said oh boy that’s the last thing I’m going to do, marry a farmer. But it’s the best thing in the world I did do.
The couple had eight children, including a set of twins. Today, they have over 100 great-grandchildren, and even a few great-great grandchildren.
The couple traveled the world in their younger years. One of Evelyn’s favorite destinations was India’s Taj Mahal. But her favorite spot on the planet is their hometown of Centerfield, Utah where Allen was once the mayor, and Evelyn served on the council.
“We know each other, and we help each other,” said Evelyn Frandsen.
The current mayor and council have honored the Frandsen’s with a custom-made bench which sits on their front porch
“I’m glad I’m married to him for nearly 80 years. I don’t know how much longer that’s going to last. I don’t think 90 years,” said Evelyn with a chuckle.
Evelyn says during the past eight decades she may have raised her voice a time or two, but claims Allen has never lost his temper once.
“The more you work at telling each other you love each other, the more you grow to love each other,” said Allen Frandsen.
