Lois Clarke and James Garner tied the knot only two weeks after meeting

Paraphrased Version (7 paragraphs, under 250 words):

James Garner always believed in love at first sight — because that’s exactly how he met the woman he spent his life with. His romance with Lois Clarke remains one of Hollywood’s sweetest real-life love stories.

Garner first saw Lois at a friend’s barbecue, and he was instantly captivated. Just like a movie moment, everything seemed to slow down when he noticed her. He gathered his courage, asked her out, and was thrilled when she agreed.

In his 2012 memoir, he recalled that day vividly, saying he fell in love “for the first and last time” on August 1, 1956. He remembered Lois as both stunning and kind, and even joked that he ended up in the pool with the children during the event.

Their connection deepened quickly. They spent nearly every day together for two weeks, and on August 17 — only 14 days after meeting — they married in a simple courthouse ceremony in Beverly Hills.

Friends and relatives were stunned. Garner’s family objected strongly, believing the couple had nothing in common and predicting their relationship would collapse. Their differences were undeniable: different religions, different personalities, and even a striking height gap.

But Garner insisted their contrasting traits balanced one another. They built a loving family, welcoming daughter Gigi and raising Lois’s older daughter Kim together.

Although they faced challenges — including a brief separation in the 1970s — their bond endured. Garner later explained that work pressures, not marital issues, caused the strain.

James Garner passed away in 2014 at age 86, leaving behind a marriage that lasted nearly sixty years and proving that true commitment can defy the odds.