2019 Marriage Hall of Fame

Each year LFF honors Louisiana’s longest known married couples as an effort to encourage individual marriages, build a stronger marriage culture, and to remind Louisiana that lifelong marriage benefits everyone.

This year Louisiana Family Forum will honor Wallace and Gladys Menard as Louisiana’s Longest Married Couple. The Menard’s celebrated their 80th Anniversary on September 17th, 2018!

Married: September 17, 1938
Duson, Louisiana

Years Together: 80

Wallace and Gladys met at a dance hall in Abbeville, Louisiana in the summer of 1937. Wallace would ride his bicycle all the way from Lafayette to Abbeville to see his lovely lady every Saturday night until they married September 17, 1938. After getting married at ages 19 (Wallace) and 16 (Gladys), the two lived in Lafayette as farmers. They farmed the land they lived on for share crop and made $10 year on the cotton they harvested. For a while, Wallace and Gladys had no electricity, no indoor bathroom, and no car, just a horse and buggy for transportation.

On July 15, 1939, after being married for about a year, Gladys gave birth to their first child, John Wilbert Menard. Following John, their second and third children were born, Robert Joseph Menard and Mary Grace Menard.

In November of 1944, Wallace was drafted into the Navy to serve during WWII. Nine men in his platoon, including Wallace, were plagued with the mumps during their time of service. For Wallace, this resulted in a loss of hearing, which led to his discharge from the Navy after only 7 months.

In 1963, years after Wallace’s return from the Service, Wallace and Gladys built their home in Judice, Louisiana, where they are currently living today. In order to build their home, Wallace worked for a charity hospital making $30 a month and Gladys worked for a local grocer making $1.50 an hour.

After settling in their home, Wallace went to work for the Service Chevrolet as a mechanic for 25 years, and later took his father-in-law’s school bus route for Lafayette Parish. He later opened his own mechanic shop at their home in Judice and worked there until his retirement. Upon retirement, Wallace and Gladys were able to finish raising their children. As their family continues to grow, Wallace and Gladys are blessed to be able to know and love their grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and even their great-great-grandchildren!

George and Laura Harris

Married: April 4, 1940
Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Years Together: 78

After having met through a mutual friend at a crawfish dinner while attending LSU, George and Laura Claire Harris dated 2 years before being married at the old Sacred Heart Church in Baton Rouge on April 4, 1940.

They rented a small house for their first two years, but when the rent went up $2.50, they decided to build a house where they still live to this day. George did accounting at night for a number of local businesses to save up and buy their first car, an Oldsmobile, affectionately known as the “Old Brown Bomb.”

Together, they belonged to several dance clubs, enjoyed traveling across the country and remember seeing one of the first TV’s in a shop window while in New York. With their deep faith and trust in the Lord, they have both been very involved in volunteer work with several Christian ministries and their church, First New Testament, as well as, opened their home to traveling missionaries.

Laura who received her Master’s in music in 1938 taught piano in various schools and provided private lessons for over 55 years. She was a charter member of Baton Rouge Piano Teacher’s Association and created a number of piano contests for her and other’s students. She also enjoys painting.

George, who graduated LSU in 1939 in accounting, went back to work for Exxon (45 years) and helped start the Exxon Federal Credit Union (1934) and even did the books out of his house for a short time. He was involved in the National Board of Credit Unions and received the keys to the City of Monroe after helping start a Credit Union there.

He spent several years making fancy dollhouses to mimic plantations, family homes and other special houses for family and friends. They are very proud of their 3 children, 10 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great-grandchildren who are all very close.

Gail and Patsy Richardson

Married: September 1, 1940
Gonzales, Louisiana

Years Together: 78

Laron and Violet Waters

Married: March 22, 1941
Alexandria, Louisiana

Years Together: 77

Charles and Helen Simon

Married: August 2, 1942
Mansura, Louisiana

Years Together: 76

Charles Simon and Helen Dupuis met at a gathering spot for teenagers called the “Pop In” located in Mansura, Louisiana. On Sunday nights, they would gather to visit with friends and dance where the girls were chaperoned by their mothers. Charles finally asked Helen to dance under the watchful eye of her mother, eventually dancing with no one else as the weeks progressed.

They were married at St. Paul’s Catholic Church on August 2, 1942. Charles was drafted into the U.S. Army in October 1942. Four years later, Charles was discharged and returned home. Together they raised eight children; five boys and three girls. The hardest part of their lives was losing two of their children to illness.

In addition to their eight children, Charles and Helen have 22 Grandchildren, 43 great-grandchildren, and 4 great-great-grandchildren. They are expecting another great-grandchild and another great-great-grandchild this spring.

Although they are no longer able to reside in their home, their 75th wedding anniversary celebration was held at their home with approximately 100 family members in attendance. Their marriage was once again blessed by their priest.

Fred W. and Louis Stromeyer

Married: January 26, 1943
Metairie, Louisiana

Years Together: 76

Fred and Lois met after a party Fred attended when he dropped by the house with her sister’s boyfriend. Fred was playing piano there when he noticed Lois and said he knew at that very moment that she was “the one.” They were together for 3 years when Fred enlisted in the U.S. Army and was stationed in France. They knew they would be apart for a long time and so when Fred was on furlough, on January 26, 1943 (two weeks before Lois’s Valentine’s-Day-birthday), they were married in St. Catherine of Siena Church in Metairie where they are still parishioners to this day.

Lois, Valedictorian of her high school, gave up her scholarship to be with Fred and to raise a family. Both of them were members of a square-dance club and loved to remain active. Fred was an usher at St. Catherine of Siena Church until his late 80s.

During the long years Fred was overseas, Lois prayed every night that they would never be apart again. Except for her recent stay at a hospital during which time Fred visited her every day, they were always together.

One of Fred’s biggest joys was making people laugh – everyone who knows him remembers his joke-making! Throughout their marriage, they loved to travel. They have visited almost every state in the union, creating friendships with people from around the United States, some of whom remain close to this day. They preferred to spend money making memories with their family over anything else and still have separate photo albums for each trip they took.

After working as a life insurance agent with Metropolitan, Fred eventually had his own State Farm agency where he worked until he was 75. Lois worked at Ochsner Hospital for a stint while the kids were in school, where she was an active parent.

Fred and Lois were members of a square dance club when their kids were small. Fred loved to exercise and he would get up at 4:00 am 6 days a week and drive to Metairie Playground where he walked 3 miles each day until his early 90s. When Fred was in his 70s, Fred raced his high-school-aged grandson and realized he enjoyed running. He trained for and entered the Senior Olympics and medaled 6 times for Louisiana, earning a trip to the National Olympics. Once the kids were grown, Lois joined a dance and exercise group where she danced 3 days a week until she was in her late 80s.

The importance of family values was just one of the secrets to their lasting marriage. They instilled these values in all of their children: Dr. F. Wayne Stromeyer of Baton Rouge, Gary Stromeyer of Metairie, and Judy Stromeyer Weitz of Metairie. They also have 7 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren of whom they are very proud.

David and Maggie Singley

Married: October 15, 1943
Rayville, Louisiana

Years Together: 75

David and Maggie met at YPE (Young Peoples Endeavor) at the Dunn Baptist Church in Dunn, Louisiana when they were teenagers. Around age 16, they began dating – which was David walking Maggie home from church about 3 miles. Soon, David’s family moved just down the road from Maggie and their love for one another grew. With their parents’ approval and blessing, they were married at 18 years old on October 15, 1943, in Rayville, LA. David turned 19 on November 3rd. The following year in December 1944, David was drafted into the U.S. Army and was stationed in the Philippines and later was sent to Japan. He served in the Hqs. Co. 3rd Battalion 19th Infantry and was awarded 2 Bronze Stars for his bravery. He was honorably discharged in October of 1946.

Shortly after David was drafted, a son was born to David and Maggie. He saw his son as a newborn and not again until he was 18 months old.
When he returned home from the Army, he farmed for a few years. In 1953, he took a job at Climax Molybdenum Company in Climax, Colorado. Maggie stayed in Louisiana to care for her invalid mother. By this time, a daughter was born. In 1957, David moved his family to Leadville, Colorado and continued to work as a welder at the molybdenum mine until he was medically retired at age 60. Maggie worked as a cook and kitchen supervisor for the Climax Molybdenum Co. for many years and then supervised the kitchen at Copper Mountain Ski Resort for 20 years.. In 1999, after living in Colorado for 42 years, they moved back to Dunn, Louisiana where they were raised.

Family is important to David and Maggie. One summer before Maggie and the 2 children at the time, had moved to Colorado, they spent the summer with David. He drove them 135 miles to Pueblo to catch the train to go back to Louisiana. David and Maggie could not bear to say good-bye, so he took them back to Leadville for another week. He took off work and drove them home to Dunn, which was a 24-hour drive. Those years were difficult being apart, but their love stayed strong. Later, 2 more children were born.

David and Maggie were actively involved in the Leadville Assembly of God Church, serving in any way they could. David played the guitar and was a part of the church orchestra. He later served as a deacon and Sunday school teacher. Maggie taught children and cooked and served many a meal for ministers and missionaries. They made many lasting friendships during those years; still keeping in contact with some.

This couple believes in the importance of family and faith; raising 4 children: Rev. Loyd E. Singley (Patsy) of Crowley, Barbara Singley Rose (Rev. Walter) of Anna, TX, Beverly Singley Morgan of Lake Charles and William B. Singley (deceased), instilling in them love, devotion, commitment, prayer and faith in God – the things that have helped them have a long and strong marriage. They also have 8 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren of whom they are very proud.