Joel and Carolyn LaPray have obviously discovered the secret to a long and happy marriage. They've been married for more than six decades, and they've known each other in excess of eight!
With parents who were neighbors and friends, Joel and Carolyn LaPray met when they were just toddlers. Joel was 23 months old, and Carolyn was 14 months.
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They became little buddies during the play dates arranged by their mothers, and there is a precious picture of the two to prove it.
A Life-Long Love Story
When World War II began, both families moved from their Idaho homes, and both settled in Logan, Utah, after the war. By then, Joel and Carolyn were in elementary school, and their friend groups didn't include kids of the opposite sex. Consequently, they didn't spend time together. However, Joel, who participated in R.O.T.C., did invite Miss Carolyn to the military ball when they were both sophomores in high school.
It seems the two had different impressions of the date. Though Carolyn thought Joel was nice, she also found him a little boring, because he hardly said two words the entire evening. Joel, on the other hand, was smitten. He remembers thinking, "I kinda like her; I think I'm gonna marry her someday."
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When Joel and Carolyn LaPray became seniors in high school, they began to date steadily. They fell in love, started college together at Utah State, became engaged, and got married at the end of their freshman year of college!
Joel and Carolyn LaPray Share Secret To Marital Bliss
When the couple got engaged, Joel's mother found that sweet picture, taken in 1941 or 1942, and she had a friend paint the black and white photo in color. Notice Joel's blue shorts and shirt and Carolyn's pastel dress. The photo was placed in front of the cake at Joel and Carolyn's wedding-a memory of their very first date!
When asked about their secret to a 64-year marriage, Joel said, "Compromise. We each had different opinions. We compromise – we do it her way."
Joel and Carolyn LaPray have 6 children, 25 grandchildren, and over 30 great-grandchildren! What a wonderful example! What a beautiful legacy!
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"Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart." Proverbs 3:3
WATCH: Joel And Carolyn LaPray Share Secret To Happiness
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