The young Marie was separated from her brother and placed in a children's home, where she was subjected to violence and abuse but managed to complete her primary education.
In Switzerland she met electrician and photographer Fritz Laeng, who was running a small radio shop in Burgdorf, north-east of Bern.
[6] Laeng-Stucki encouraged the development of a series of record player models and built new business partnerships for product distribution.
[8] In 1953, she negotiated an exclusive contract to supply record players to the Migros subsidiary and book division Ex Libris with its then director, Elsa Gasser.
From 1955 onwards, under Laeng-Stucki's direction, Lenco developed a simple, inexpensive record player, marketed at an attractive price under the name Ex Libris Junior, which secured the company's future.
Marie Laeng-Stucki instignated the construction of the company's production sites in Steg (Valais) in Switzerland and Osimo in Italy.
[6] Lengo AG was a progressive organisation, with staff benefits including a pension scheme, company sports teams and events, a library, cashless salary payments, flexible working hours and systematic accident prevention procedures.