Utah’s Many Marriage Marathoners: Price May Be the Capital

Published February 15, 1986. Two weeks ago I noted in this column that Oliver and Cora Lee Glenn of Alabama may be the couple that has been married the longest in the nation. Both are 99 and were married Nov. 6, 1904. That’s more than 81 years of marriage!

Last week Governor George Wallace joined with them in an informal ceremony at Merry Wood Lodge, a nursing home in Elmore, Alabama, in honor of the recognition and occasion.

We thought it might be interesting to find out who has been married the longest in Utah. So I invited readers to write in and tell me about married couples they knew in our state who have been married a long time.

Several readers responded, and offered the following names:

UTAH’S MARRIAGE MARATHONERS

Ren and Evelyn Hansen, Salt Lake City, married June 24, 1914. (71 years)

Ralph and Ruth Anderson, Springville, married August 12, 1914. (71 years)

Arthur and Rose Barlocker, St. George, married in April 1915. (70 years)

Louis and Mary Mahoney, Heber City, married August 18, 1915. (70 years)

Joseph and Erma Young, Orem, married November 1915. (70 years)

Roy and Elva Fausett, Price, married January 10, 1916. (70 years)

LaVor and Marguerite Taylor, Salt Lake City, married May 2, 1916. (69 years)

Merrill and Twila Thornton, Parowan, married April 18, 1917. (68 years)

John Jr. and Cora Daniels, Payson, married June 13, 1917.  (68 years)

Philo and Addie Edwards, Orem, married September 19, 1917. (68 years)

R. Lee and Nellie Purrington, Salt Lake City, married September 17, 1920. (65 years)

Mr. and Mrs. Eric Jorgensen, Lewiston, married September 1920. (65 years)

Frank and Mildred Ferguson, Salt Lake City, married January 31, 1921. (65 years)

Mr. and Mrs. Winford Hansen, Spanish Fork, married August 31, 1921. (64 years)

Merrill and Margaret Strong, Salt Lake City, married in 1921. (64 years)

Mr. and Mrs. Milton Warner, Fillmore, married July 10, 1922. (63 years)

Fred and Eleanor Sjoblom, Sandy, married June 4, 1924. (61 years)

Dewey and Clara Hansen, Murray, married in 1924. (61 years)

Leslie and Annie Stoker, West Jordan, married October 7, 1925. (60 years)

Lester and Alice Hansen, Mayfield, married November 21, 1925. (60 years)

It may well be that Price is the Marriage Marathon Capital of Utah. Gloria Patterson wrote, noting there were six couples in her LDS ward who will have been married 60 years or longer in 1986. In addition to Roy and Elva Fausett (70 years) previously mentioned there were:

Cecil and Blance Waterman, Price, married July 1, 1922. (63 years)

Vern and Ella Wilson, Price, married December 5, 1923. (62 years)

Fred and Louise Tuttle, Orangeville, married December 21, 1925. (60 years)

Clark and Nellie Creamer, Price, married June 23, 1926. (59 years)

The Bible admonishes, “Let us run with patience the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:10). On behalf of Deseret News and myself, we congratulate this list of Utah’s Marriage Marathoners who have apparently done so.

If there are others who have been married 60 years or more and are not included, I would still like to know who they are.

Unless we hear from others, we will assume that Ren and Evelyn Hansen, Salt Lake City, are the Marathon Champions. In addition, Price will be proclaimed as the Marriage Marathon Capital of Utah until displaced by some other community.

After looking over this impressive list, Susan and I have decided that with our 20 years of marriage we are just completing the first lap. But we have decided to do two things: (1) keep jogging and (2) consider moving to Price.