Fred and Frances lived in Bismarck, ND. Fred was a Marine and prisoner of war for 3 years, captured by the Japanese during WWII. He was kept on Corregidor Island in the Philippines and then in Japan, and was released at the end of the war. He intended to arrive home in Fargo unannounced but surprised when his mother greeted him at the train station instead. Fred obtained a law degree from the North Dakota School of Law in 1951 and practiced law in Bismarck for nearly 50 years, during which time he also served as Assistant City Attorney.

Frances was a bookkeeper for Gold Seal Co., retiring in 1955 to become a full time homemaker.