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Show After 66 years Thomases say love is key to wedded bliss' planted from peach pits years ago. "I bless everything I plant and I think that's why I'm successful," she confided. A talented pianist, LaRue has also written songs, but her first love is art work and she has taught painting classes for many of her friends. "It keeps a young girl like her out of mischief," said William with a laugh. "Love, respect, cooperation and a belief in God," William and LaRue agree are the things that have kept their marriage strong. They have seen many changes in their lives and these things have helped them cope with the adversities. adversi-ties. Their plans for the future include continuing to be together. "We've already decided we won't go to a rest home," said William. "If she gets bad I'll take care of her and she'll do the same forme," he said. But it's obvious that since LaRue just finished bottling applesauce apple-sauce and William got a new ladder for his birthday so he can climb the fruit trees, it will be a long time before they are ready for a rest home. father's hotel so William designed a new one. "The architect only made one change in the entire plan," he said. The Thomas Hotel was built in Malad in 1948. The family later sold it, and it is still in business today. William combined his hotel management man-agement with school teaching. He went on to become a junior high school principal. William was a star guard and often high point man on a teachers' basketball team in Rigby, Ida. In 1957 the Thomas family, which then included five children, moved to their present home at 66 S. 100 W., in Bountiful. It was then William started the Thomas Insurance Agency for his son Devon who has since passed away. "Going to work is like going to a family reunion," said William. He explained he still sees his daughter-in-law, a son and a grandson grand-son at the office. Although she does not work at the office, 85-year-old LaRue keeps busy around their home and yard. She too still drives a car. "I have to shift the gears, but I like to do it," she said. LaRue's artistic talents have led to many beautiful creations. The Thomas home is dotted with examples exam-ples of LaRue's paintings, crocheting crochet-ing and craft talents. One of her most unusual and incredible pictures pic-tures she created with chewing gum. After major heart surgery, the muscles in her hands needed to be exercised and the doctor recommended recom-mended she stretch chewing gum with her fingers. LaRue turned this simple task into art work. The petals pet-als in a floral design she created look like flowers made of fine china. When she's not busy creating floral art, LaRue creates the real thing. She loves to work in their large, immaculately groomed yard. The six thriving peach trees LaRue By JUDY JENSEN Editor BOUNTIFUL What is the secret to a long, happy marriage? According to LaRue and William Thomas, it is "love." They are obviously experts on the subject as they celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary Aug. 26. The party celebrated two milestones miles-tones as it was also William's 89th birthday. This bright, witty couple seems to have found the combination for a long, productive life. Three days a week William can be found at the , office of the Thomas Insurance Agency, located at 3165 Highland Drive in Salt Lake City. "I was going to quit when I turned 80, but here I am 89 and still going," he said. William still drives his own car to the office and claims "driving "driv-ing on the freeway keeps me young." Driving is something William has done since 1922. "I started out with a Model T Ford and I have a Ford now, but during the in-between in-between years I've had a lot of cars like Whippetts ." He explained that a Whippett was a Volkswagen-like car. When he first met LaRue he did not have a car and his mode of transportation was a horse. They both lived in Malad, Ida. and William Wil-liam confessed to having a spy watch for LaRue when she would go to the post office. William's father was the owner of the Great Northern Hotel in Malad. The hotel opened the same year as Hotel Utah. "When I was working at the hotel I had my Jewish Jew-ish friend watch for LaRue to go to the post office across the street," said William. LaRue said she always al-ways wondered why she would find William at the post office. Their relationship progressed beyond the post office and they were married in 1922. William taught school in Daniels and together they would make the 18-mile 18-mile trip from Daniels to Malad on horseback to visit LaRue's parents. pa-rents. A tragic fire destroyed his |