Every day special for the Rogerses

Every day is Valentine’s Day for Orville and Margaret Rogers.
Through their more than 70 years of marriage, very seldom have they been separated and they look forward to each day together. If ever a couple were the proverbial two peas in a pod, it is the Rogerses.
Both 90, the Rogerses moved to Iola from a farm near Kincaid in 1992, and to a two-bedroom apartment in Townhouse East two years ago.
Orville is a World War II Army Air Corps veteran, service he recalls with pride. He served two years in New Guinea and the Philippines and was en route to Okinawa when the war ended in August 1945.
During his time overseas, he received bundles of letters from his new wife.
“I wrote every day he was gone,” Margaret said. “I wrote as often as I could,” Orville replied.
“Her letters would come five or six at a time,” he added, and were welcome relief that fortified him during the long absence.
Once home, Orville vowed never to be far away again. “I doubt if we’ve been apart for more than four or five nights since I got home from the war,” he said.
When Margaret had heart surgery in Overland Park five years ago, Orville refused to leave the room. He slept the first night in a chair before a nurse, ignoring protocol, had a bed wheeled in so he could be more comfortable the next 10 nights.
Margaret tried to remember when they were apart, and allowed there might have been three or four nights when she stayed with an ill relative.
But, it’s a good bet Orville made a point to stop by or call to check on his wife, who is as devoted to him as he is to her.

THE ROGERSES grew up on farms about four miles apart in the Kincaid area. He knew her parents and brother, but didn’t notice her until “we took our eighth grade exams,” he said.
He was attending school in Kincaid and she at Blue Mound, in Linn County, when all congregated for tests to determine whether they had hit the mark academically.
All the while Cupid was hanging in the background.
After completing their schooling, Margaret was working in a restaurant in Blue Mound. Orville stopped by one day for a bite. He recognized her and popped the question: How about going on a date?
The attraction was mutual. On Jan. 24, 1942, a Saturday night, they and another couple went for a ride. Sunday evening he took her to church.
“We were engaged on June 20,” Margaret said.
By then the U.S. was deep into the war effort and Orville was in the service.
Their first inclination was to wait until after the war to marry, but “I couldn’t wait,” Orville said. They were married Dec. 10, 1942, in Kansas City. He returned to the service and in early January shipped out for the Pacific, where he did radio and other repairs on U.S. warplanes.
Borrowing from a Patsy Cline standard, they mutually were back in baby’s arms in late December 1945 — and it’s been that way every since.

“WE LOVE each other,” said Margaret’s of why they’ve had a good life together and celebrated their 70th anniversary last Dec. 10.
“I never thought of anyone else,” said Orville. “I found the one I wanted and that was it. We’ve never argued or fought. There have been a few times we’d have a little disagreement, but we’d talk about it and settle things right away.”
Candy used to be a Valentine staple, but sweets aren’t in their health regimen much these days. They did go out for dinner on Sunday to the celebrate the holiday.
Today they took lunch at the Iola Senior Citizens Center, just across the block and a part of their daily routine, and then retired to their room, “the best one in the building,” facing North Street, Orville said. “I can sit right here and see everything that’s going on, watch the police cars go.”
Right at his side, as she always has been, will be Margaret — “with the one I love.”