Couple that met as toddlers and married as teens celebrate 64th wedding anniversary

Love is always the key to a long-lasting union. And this pair has been in love for a very, very long time. Their affection for one another has only increased since they first encountered as toddlers and got married as teenagers.

Growing up, Joel and Carolyn LaPray frequently played with their neighbors. Since their parents got along well, it was usual for them to set up playdates for their kids.

When they first got together, Carolyn was only 14 months old and Joel was only 23 months old. They grew close, and they even have a photo of themselves shot in 1941 or 1942, just before the war, as they remember.

Both families left West Idaho, where they had lived before World War II, to live elsewhere. They ran into each other again after it was over and both families settled back in Logan, Utah. However, given that they favored interacting with children of the same sex this time around, Joel and Carolyn did not become friends like they had in the past.

During their high school sophomore year, they reconnected with one another. when Joel invited Carolyn to attend the military dance with him. Joel remembered thinking, "I kind of like her; I think I'm gonna marry her someday," at the moment he discovered he liked Carolyn.

Joel thought Carolyn found him dull, even though she liked him as well. Later, she acknowledged that this was accurate, but only because Joel hardly spoke to her the entire evening.

The two reunited in their senior year of high school on a higher level. They started courting each other when they were in their final year of high school. and developed an affection for one another.

They both attended Utah State University, and by the conclusion of their first year of college, they had already decided they would get married. They are also commemorating their 64th jubilee today!

When Joel's mother learned of their engagement, she dredged up a photo of the two of them as young children. She asked an acquaintance to colorize the black and white image. They adored it so much that they used it to decorate their wedding cake. "Joel and Carolyn, their first date," was written beneath the image. When telling the tale, Carolyn was pleased and remarked, "That was special, too."

Raising their six children together has been a great experience for the pair. They have about 33 or 34 great-grandchildren and 25 grandkids. Joel claimed that he had given up counting.

They claim that compromise is the key to a lengthy and successful marriage. We made compromises because we all had diverse ideas and followed her lead.

Joel added, "If papa's not happy, nobody cares," after Carolyn had agreed with her husband's remark and said, "If mama's happy, everybody's happy." They both nodded.

They've had a great time together, the two of them.