MARRIED: February 15, 1947 - 79 Years
Robeline, Louisiana
Gussie & Leland LaCaze
Gussie and Leland LaCaze met in May of 1945, in the small sawmill town of Flora, La. Leland played guitar with two friends, on Saturday nights. On one of those Saturday nights, Gussie, her sister, and their friends decided to go and listen to them play. Needless to say their story began to unfold.
World War II, drafting began, taking young men. Three months later, in August, Leland was drafted into the US Army. For two years they wrote letters to each other. Leland returned home, in January of 1947. Wasting no time he asked Gussie to marry him. She gladly accepted and on February 15, 1947, they were married.
For the next three years,Leland, attended Natchitoches Trade School, in the Auto Mechanics program, on what was known then, as the GI Loan. Gussie became a housewife, and in August 1949, they had their first child, Gerald. After finishing trade school, in March 1951, Leland landed a job with the Louisiana Highway Department, as a driver as a road grader. He still knows every back road in Natchitoches Parish.
Shortly afterward in July 1951, they welcomed the second child, Connie. Things were shaping up for the young family. In October 1953, their third child, Sherry arrived. Six years later, in November 1959, Tammy arrived.
After, the children grew older, Gussie, gave up staying at home and worked several jobs. Then in 1986, she retired after 16 years with The Natchitoches Department of Transportation as a clerk for the Maintenance Department. In February of 1985, after 34 years, Leland retired, from the Department of Transportation. He didn’t stay in retirement, he went to work for the Natchitoches Parish Police Jury, as Assistant Administrator. At the age of 92, Leland decided to call it quits!
Mr. and Mrs. LaCaze, reside in the family home in Flora, Louisiana. Gussie celebrated her 96th birthday in November of 2025, and Leland will celebrate his 99th birthday in May.