Things were golden at the First United Methodist Church at a Friday luncheon.

The church was honoring couples who have been married 50 or more years. Most were church members, but any couple in the community who had reached their golden wedding anniversary was welcome to participate, said the Rev. Mike Schutz, associate pastor for the church.

COMMENT ON THIS STORY COMMENTING: What is your secret to a lasting marriage? Michael Cavazos/News-Journal Photo (ENLARGE) Robert and Rosalee Sprouse talk in their Longview home about their 50-year-old marriage. The couple, both retired educators, have two children and four grandchildren.

"It's important to honor these couples, because making this sort of commitment to another person is rare in the modern world," Schutz said. "They serve as an inspiration to younger people struggling to make their marriages work."

About 40 couples participated in the luncheon, which the church has held for the past 20 years. This year's theme was "Time Flies," and clocks decorated the reception area.

"All of you here are shining examples of life, faith and an understanding of the true covenant between husband, wife and God that is formed when a man and woman are united in marriage," Schutz said.

Don Goodson, a cowboy poet, provided entertainment for the event. He recited his own poems and the works of others, focusing on themes ranging from the humor of rural life to the graces of growing older together.

Two of the couples honored at the event shared their stories:

Rosalee and Robert Sprouse

The Sprouse spouses are new members of the golden wedding circle; they just celebrated their 50th anniversary in August. The couple, both retired educators, have two children and four grandchildren.

"One of the main ingredients in keeping a marriage going for 50 years is having the same values," she said. "We both believe in God, and our faith and church activities are very important to us."

Shared interests also are important, he said.

"We've done a lot of travelling together, and we also watching basketball and attending plays," he said. "We've found something interesting and enjoyable about everywhere we've been."

Among the countries the couple has visited are Russia, China and Peru. They've also travelled widely within the United States.

"We met while appearing in a play together in college," Rosalee Sprouse said. "So going to the theater, like the Shakespeare Festival or the Dallas Summer Musicals, is especially fun for us, as it reminds us of our courtship."

They are both natives of East Texas. She is originally from Mount Pleasant, and he was born and raised in Pittsburg.

Babe and Steve Cole

The Coles will celebrate their 60th anniversary in April. The Louisiana natives have lived in Longview since the 1960s. They have five children, 12 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

"We met in the fall of 1948 at Northwestern State University," Steve Cole said. "She kept flirting with me until I asked her out."

Babe Cole had a slightly different view of their courtship.

"I was sitting with a friend of mine from the dorm and he came by to talk to her. After awhile, he began talking to me and eventually asked me out for that weekend. I wouldn't kiss him good night on the first date, though; he always says that's why he had to ask me out a second time."

They married in a judge's office the month before she turned 19, because her mother didn't approve of their relationship.

"It took awhile, but Babe's mother eventually got to where she loved me," he said.

He is a retired banker. She's spent much of their married life as a stay-at-home mother, but also worked as a secretary for the Longview Independent School District for about 10 years.

"We have a lot of good times to look back on and a lot of good times to look forward to," he said. "We were very active in school and community activities while our children were growing up and continue to do a lot of volunteer work through out church."

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Factors for a long-lasting marriage

Commitment: Spouses consider the marriage important and agree they have an obligation to work things out even when there are serious disagreements.

Covenant: Spouses believe they have made a sacred promise, not only to each other but to God, to stay married for the rest of their lives.

Faith: Spouses believe in a higher power and are active in a church or temple.

Family: The marriage has the support of the couple's parents and siblings.

Main area of disagreement: For most couples, it's finances. As long as the family is above the poverty level, more money doesn't lead to fewer arguments. Most disagreements are about how to spend discretionary income and who should control the family spending, not about trying to meet basic needs.

Source: Barbara Morgan, local board certified professional counselor