The secret to a long marriage is always love. And this couple have loved one another for a long time. They met as toddlers and tied the knot as teenagers, and their love for one another has only grown…
Joel and Carolyn LaPray grew up next door and frequently played together. Because their parents were friends, it was customary for them to organize playdates for their children.
The couple met when they were both under two years old, Joel was 23 months old while Carolyn was only 14 months old. They became close friends and even have a picture of them that was taken in either 1941 or 1942; right before the war they recall.
Both families left their home West Idaho when World War II broke out. They met again after it had finished and both families had relocated to Logan, Utah. But, unlike before, Joel and Carolyn did not become friends this time as they enjoyed playing with youngsters of the same gender.
They interacted with one another again during their Sophomore year of high school! When Joel asked Carolyn to accompany him to the military ball. This is around the time Joel realized he liked Carolyn, he remembered thinking “I kinda like her; I think I’m gonna marry her someday.”
Carolyn liked him as well, but Joel felt he was uninteresting. She eventually corroborated this, but only because Joel barely spoke to her all night.
In their final year of high school, the two reconnected on a better level. When they became seniors in high school, they began dating one another. And fell in love with one another.
They both attended Utah State University, and by the end of their freshman year, they decided they desired to get married. And today is their 64th wedding anniversary!
At the news of their marriage, Joel’s mother dug up their picture together when they were toddlers. She had a friend paint the black and white picture in color. They loved it so much that they topped their wedding cake with it. The picture read: “Joel and Carolyn, their first date.” Carolyn was proud to tell the story, adding, “That was special, too.”
The couple has enjoyed parenting their six kids together. They have around 25 grandkids and perhaps 33 or 34 great-grandchildren. Joel has stated that he has ceased counting the number!
They say their secret to a long and happy union is simple, “Compromise. We each had different opinions, we compromise – we do it her way.”
Carolyn agreed with her husband and stated, “If mama’s happy, everybody’s happy,” to which they both agreed before Joel added, “If papa’s not pleased, nobody cares!”
They’ve both had a great time with one another.
