Long-married Utahns get a golden salute

ST. GEORGE — Ten couples were honored Friday evening for building marriages that not only survived 50 years of togetherness, but also for inspiring others to do the same.

"Clearly there is a marriage movement in the United States, and Utah is on the cutting edge," first lady Jacalyn Leavitt said as she welcomed hundreds of southern Utahns to the "Governor's Initiative on Families Today for its Celebration of Marriage" at the Dixie Center. She called the 10 "Gold Medal Marriage" couples role models.

Gov. Mike Leavitt said holding the conference was a powerful sign that Utahns consider marriage important.

"What we value is what we honor," he said. "Thirty years of being married has not made me an expert on marriage, but my 11 years as governor has taught me that so many of the problems we deal with occur when the nuclear support around children is not there."

Former Miss America Sharlene Wells Hawkes emceed the evening's event.

"My husband and I were in Egypt sharing an adventure, and one day I was bargaining for something at the market," Hawkes said. "My husband was also bargaining with a man over something and I asked him what it was for. He said it was for me! He had the man up to 500 camels."

Keynote speakers former Utah Sen. Jake Garn and his wife, Kathleen, shared the story of blending their families and lives after Garn's first wife died in a car accident.

"People still ask me why I left the Senate," Jake Garn said. "Kathleen was raising our children while I was playing senator. I had to leave to get to know my 8-year-old son. I can't think of a better reason to walk away."

Garn's voice broke often as he described the pain he and his four children went through upon the death of his first wife, Hazel.

"I told my mother I didn't want to get married again, ever. She told me, 'You be a good boy and God will bless you.' Well, for 26 years this is my blessing from God," Garn said as he looked at his wife.

Kathleen Garn spoke of the patience, love and commitment that it took from everyone in the two families to become one.

"One thing that we decided to do when we combined families was to keep our traditions from each family and build new ones," she said. "Marriage is a trial and error thing. You have to be willing to work things out."

More information about the marriage initiative program is available online at www.utahmarriage.org.

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E-mail: nperkins@infowest.com