Whirlwind romance turns into lifelong love story
It didn’t take long for Dotty Gage and Bob Saegert to realize they were meant for each other. The couple met on a blind date on a Monday and were married that Friday.
Their instincts were not wrong. The couple will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary on July 12. Their anniversary announcement can be found on page 7A.
Dotty recalled that her friend Sue Anglin talked her into going on a double date with Bob at the Spot Theater in downtown Siloam Springs, next to the current location of Ability Tree. She had seen Bob at school but had never spoken to him. Dotty said that Sue convinced her it would just be a normal blind date.
Bob said he had already been in the military and was ready to settle down when he met Dotty. The couple hit it off the first night, and decided to go out again on Tuesday. They continued to meet throughout the week and on Friday, they drove to Tahlequah, Okla., and were married in the historic Cherokee County Courthouse.
“I wouldn’t advise it for everyone, but it worked for us,” Dotty said.
Dotty said her mother, Alpha Gage, accepted the elopement, but her father, Bob Gage, wasn’t very happy at first.
“He didn’t like anything that wasn’t his idea first,” she said with a laugh.
But her father soon warmed up to her new husband and the two men formed a good relationship, which would include owning a business together.
After the couple were married, they moved back to Bob’s hometown of Gary, Ind., for about four months. They started to look for a house, but then decided to move back to Siloam Springs to go into the shoe sales business with Dotty’s parents. The company celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2014.
For many years, Bob and Dotty ran the business while raising their two children, Mike and Niketa. Dotty worked as a bookkeeper and Bob did a lot of traveling, delivering shoes to other stores in the region.
“It turned out good and we raised two fine children,” Bob said.
Niketa Stinchcomb said her childhood was filled with many wonderful memories of working together in the family business, traveling and playing golf. The family was dedicated to church, and went every Wednesday night and twice on Sunday.
She remembers traveling with her dad and helping him count shoes. Her work always earned her a fudge bar at the end of the day.
“I thought it was the best thing in the world,” she said.
In the last 10 to 15 years, Niketa has watched her father stick by her mother’s side and never give up as she has faced health challenges caused by a series of ministrokes.
“No matter what, my dad has stuck by her side and wanted the best for her,” she said.
Doctors gave up on Dotty and recommended just putting her in a nursing home.
“Me and my dad and Mike weren’t willing to give up on her and let her die,” she said.
The family was able to find a specialist that was able get to the bottom of the problems Dotty was facing and restore her health. She wouldn’t be around today if it hadn’t been for her father’s determination, Niketa said.
Niketa said her parents have taught her that marriage is hard work but that it’s important to never give up.
“Marriage is not easy,” she said. “You go through really difficult times, you stick with it, you work it out and sometimes it takes time. It’s not a happily ever after, it’s a lot of work, you stick with it, no matter what you don’t ever give up.”
When asked how she knew that Bob was the right person for her all those years ago, Dotty gave a long pause and then said with conviction “I just knew.”
Bob said, “She just hit me right.”
Sixty years later, he says he still feels exactly the same way.