It’s clear that Joel and Carolyn LaPray have figured out the key to a healthy and fulfilling marriage over the long haul. They have been married for almost six decades, and they have known each other for over eight decades combined!
When Joel and Carolyn LaPray were only children, their parents introduced them to each other since they were neighbors and friends. Carolyn was only 14 months old, whereas Joel had already reached the age of 23 months.
They developed a close friendship over the course of the play dates that were planned for them by their moms, and there is a priceless photo of the two of them together to prove it.
Both families uprooted and relocated out of their homes in Idaho before to the outbreak of World War II, and they eventually ended themselves in Logan, Utah. At that point in time, Joel and Carolyn were both enrolled in primary school, and none of their buddy groups included children of the other gender. As a direct result of this, they did not spend any time together.
Despite this, Joel, who was a member of ROTC at the time, extended an invitation to Miss Carolyn to attend the military ball while they were both sophomores in high school.
It would seem that the two individuals came away from the outing with contrasting perspectives. Carolyn found Joel to be sweet, but she also found him a bit monotonous since he hardly said a word the whole evening, despite this, she felt Joel was kind.
On the other hand, Joel was all over heels in love. He was thinking to himself, “I sort of like her; I guess I’m going to marry her eventually,” when he recalled the thought.
When Joel and Carolyn LaPray reached their senior year of high school, they started a more serious relationship with one another.
They met each other in high school, went to Utah State University together for college, fell in love, got engaged, and were married before the end of their first year of college!
When Joel’s parents decided to become engaged, Joel’s mother pulled out an old photograph from maybe 1941 or 1942 and had a friend colorize it for her. The photo was originally black and white. Take note of the blue shorts and shirt worn by Joel, as well as the pastel clothing worn by Carolyn.
At Joel and Carolyn’s wedding, a photo of them from their very first date was displayed in front of the cake as a memento of their special day.
When questioned about the key to their successful marriage of 64 years, Joel said, “Compromise. Each of us had a unique point of view. We come to an agreement, and we do it her way.”
The LaPrays have been blessed with six children, twenty-five grandkids, and more than thirty great-grandchildren. What a magnificent illustration! What a wonderful thing to leave behind!
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