01/16/2026
January 16th, 1976 was also a Friday. I know because it was on that day that Cheryl Lynn Moore said "I do" to the question, "Will you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, to love honor and cherish , in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?" We were in the living quarters of the Justice of the Peace in Jackson, Wyoming. His secretary and wife were our witnesses. Two nervous kids, holding each other's hands and looking into each others eyes. We weren't sure what we were getting into, but we knew that we were going to do our best to make it work.
And we did, too. We managed to raise two smart and sassy children. We bought three homes in two different states, cars and trucks that I don't even want to try to remember, visited four different countries, had countless pets, dogs and cats, horses and goats, chickens and chinchillas (yes, you read that right) birds and lizards, and more and more dogs. If you know us, you already know this.
We loved and learned, and cared for each other every day. We respected each other's opinions, even when I was wrong. We tackled every challenge as a team and we shared in every success as a team.
We were often asked what was the key to a long and successful marriage and, though the message evolved slightly over time, it was still always the same, you both have to work at it, to be committed to each other, "to have and to hold, to love honor and cherish , in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live". We did that for 47 years, we would be doing it now if fate hadn't intervened.
Today would have been 50 years. I will always love her.
