ST. GEORGE — After spending 70 years together, this St. George couple is sharing their secret to a long happy marriage.
Don and Joyce Mcgregor have been together since the 1950s and continue to grow their love for each other at their home in St. George.
Don, 92, and Joyce, 90, met at the Utah Agricultural College, now known as Utah State University, and were married in Logan, Utah, on Feb. 20, 1953.
“A kiss a day keeps the divorce attorney away,” Don told St. George News.
The couple said they have lived by that motto and insist on sharing their affection for each other every day along with sharing an evening prayer, which stands at the core of their long-standing marriage — a commitment to religion.
“We would advise any new couple to start out with God’s help,” Joyce said, adding that they are both devout members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
“Our marriage would not have made it 70 years without our religion,” she said, “because there have been times where we have turned to the Lord and said, ‘Sort it out for us.'”
Don recalled his college days living in the fraternity house with 27 other men and sharing three vehicles.
“Find yourself a wife without ever going on a date in a car,” Don said, adding that even in the 1950s that was tough.
After seeing a picture of Joyce he said he knew that he wanted to meet and pursue her.
“She was a beauty queen. … She was the prettiest girl on campus and, of course, everybody wanted a piece of that,” Don said.
Earlier that year Joyce had seen a picture of Don and told all of her friends that he was the man she would one day marry.
Their first encounter together was at the beginning of spring semester when Don, a junior at the time, threw a snowball at Joyce, a freshman.
They started their courtship soon after and dated through Joyce’s junior year.
In 1953, Don asked Joyce if she would quit school to go with him as he joined the Army, and she said yes. Just four weeks later, Don sold a cow in order to buy a wedding ring and marry Joyce. A week later they drove off together to Fort Lee, Virginia, where he was stationed at the Army base for a year.
After their first child was born, Joyce returned to Utah while Don was stationed in France for a year.
On his return home to northern Utah, they each worked full time, Don as a mechanical engineer and Joyce as a teacher. They said their best memories together were the births of their five children.
“The culminating blessings of your life is a family,” Don added.
The couple retired in 1990 and bought a home in St. George.
They continue to enjoy spending time at church activities and with their family.
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