They lived with his mother and younger siblings in Antigo, Wisconsin until moving to Milwaukee for employment opportunities. Frankie and Helga raised three daughters. He worked for Falk Corp. Helga learned English by doing schoolwork with the girls and she said crossword puzzles helped her too.

We had a fun and loving childhood. My parents moved back up north after Frankie retired in 1995. They enjoyed retirement by socializing with relatives and local friends, joined a pool league, rode atv, and fished from their pontoon.

Approximately 10 years after they moved up to Rollingstone Lake, into the house Frankie built with and for his father, Helga started with dementia. Recently they celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary. Her dementia is severe, along with several physical health issues. Her loving husband takes exceptional care of her, always with kindness, patience and humor. He prefers to keep her at home under his care even though doctors advised she be placed in nursing care.

Frankie takes Helga to stores and out to lunch every day, ending each day visiting neighbors at the Walleye Lodge for supper. Family visits them on weekends to help with her personal care and to offer him reprieve time, which is hard to get him to take. He will say “I brought her here 65 years ago, she’s mine .”

My parents are both 88. Even though mom no longer knows her children and her husband, she loves looking at old pictures of her parents and will exclaim “That’s my mom and dad!” She can’t hear well but likes watching babies on TV, and enjoys “trying” to wash dishes and other household chores she used to do as the homemaker. Frankie and Helga have enjoyed a long, loving marriage, and set a great example for their daughters, who all have been married over 35 years. The only sad part will be if my parents have to eventually be apart due to health reasons.

Marriage Advice: Patience, love for each other, and God in your heart make for a wonderful marriage and life.