Crystal Lake’s Bob and Rosemary Blazier celebrate 75 years of marriage

It’s a classic all-American love story A football player and a cheerleader at Western Illinois University meet during their freshman year. Almost 80 years later, Bob and Rosemary Blazier will celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary Tuesday.

Bob Blazier said he always knew Rosemary was the love of his life by how she treated people with kindness and care He jokes that it took a year to wear her down and get her to go out with him – he still remembers the exact date, Sept. 9, 1946. They married in 1949 in Spring Grove, only one week after graduating from WIU.

“That long ago, things were very simple. The men didn’t wear tuxedos, just business suits,” he said. “Rosemary looked so beautiful. It was a beautiful gown.”

Since moving to Crystal Lake in 1962, the couple have touched thousands of lives through education, philanthropy and business in McHenry County. Now 97, Bob Blazier is a former superintendent of Crystal Lake Elementary School District 47, a former Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce president and a former vice president of marketing and education for Northern Illinois Medical Center in McHenry (now Northwestern McHenry Medicine Hospital).

He helped found the Centegra Foundation, Raue Center for the Arts Foundation, McHenry County College Foundation and more. In May, he received a lifetime achievement award from the Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce.

Rosemary Blazier, 96, is a former physical education teacher and counselor in District 47, and has served as president of the Service League of Crystal Lake and as a religious education instructor at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church. She helped found the first American Cancer Society 24-hour Walk/Run Against Cancer, now Relay For Life, in Illinois.

Bob Blazier’s advice to keeping a long, happy and healthy marriage is to simply always be there for your spouse and “put each other first.” He stays romantic by buying fresh flowers every week to display in their home. He’s going to celebrate their wedding anniversary with pink roses, Bob Blazier said.

“No matter how old you are, it’s important to have romance, to do special things for each other,” he said.

Their biggest challenge has started only a few years ago when Rosemary Blazier started experiencing health problems, Bob Blazier said. She has good and bad days, and is sometimes unable to talk.

“We’re fighting this challenge together,” he said.

Reflecting on their lifetime of marriage, Bob Blazier is most fond of the simple memories of enjoying each other’s company during dinner dates, playing golf and going on small vacations.

“It’s been a marriage of love and friendship,” he said. “It’s hard not to be happy because she is such a positive person.”