Couple met as toddlers & have known each other for 82 yrs celebrate their 64th year of marriage
Joel and Carolyn LaPray’s love story is one of a kind, and their commitment to each other is truly inspiring.
The couple, who have been married for 64 years, have known each other for 82 years.
Not many people can say they’ve known their spouse for their whole lives.
They first met as toddlers in Idaho in the early 1940s, they were neighbors, and their parents were friends.
When Joel and Carolyn met as toddlers, it was right before the United States became a part of World War II.
During the war, both families moved away from their homes, but Joel and Carolyn reconnected in their teen years when the families relocated to Utah.
When they were Sophomores in high school, Joel asked Carolyn to the military ball, but she wasn’t quite sure of her feelings towards him — even though he seemed sure that she would be the woman he would marry.
And as it turns out, Joel was right.
As they started spending more time together in their senior year of high school, their love for each other grew, and by the time they graduated, they were in love and starting their amazing life together.
The next year, they attended Utah State University together, and after their first year of college, they decided to get married.
Their love story is nothing short of beautiful, and 64 years later, they continue to remain devoted to each other.
Their time together has brought them 6 children, 25 grandchildren, and 33 great-grandchildren.
A very big family!
They have so many grandchildren that Joel said he’s no longer counting.
But we’ll do his family math for him. Joel and Carolyn have a family of a whopping 70 people!
Joel and Carolyn have a picture of themselves as toddlers around when they first met in black and white, and Joel’s mother reached out to a friend who painted it as a wedding present!
It was placed near their wedding cake with a sign that said, “Joel and Carolyn, their first date.”
This gift served and continues to serve as a beautiful reminder of their love story, a treasure that most people will never have.
When asked what the secret to 64 years of marriage was, Joel responded quickly that the secret is compromise!
“We each have different opinions, we compromise, we do it her way.” – East Idaho News
Carolyn alludes to the idea of a happy wife, happy life!
And Joel knows that as long as “momma” is happy, then everyone’s happy, and he does his best to live up to the standard that shows Carolyn his love for her.
Joel and Carolyn LaPray’s love story is truly special, and their commitment to each other inspires many.
We wish them many congratulations and hope to see them continuing to live out their dream as they celebrate anniversaries to come.
