It was love at first sight for Myrna and Gary Condie. The year was 1967 and the two met at Utah State University. A week and a half later, they were married.
“There was a total commitment when we got married,” said Myrna.
Fifty years later, the Condies celebrated their commitment to each other at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Valencia on Saturday. Over a hundred people came out for the special occasion and Gary was proud of the fact that it did not take a funeral for everyone to come together in camaraderie.
“Nobody had to die to make it happen,” he said.
“And it’s easy to be happy about a 50th when you’re with a good man,” added Myrna.
Everyone at the party agreed on one feature regarding the Condies—the fact that they are incredibly giving people, as Peggie Schofield, the first foster child of the Condies pointed out.
Schofield was 17 when the Condies welcomed her into the family with open arms. Some 40 years later, she is still a member of the family celebrating the Condie’s 50th wedding anniversary.
“Living with them really kind of put me on a good path of life,” she said. “The direction of my life was because of them.”
That same selfless sentiment regarding the Condie lifestyle was expressed by more than just Schofield. Rex Thomas, Gary’s brother in law, was also thankful to have had the Condie’s help in becoming part of the SCV community.
Thomas came from a small town of 4,000 people in Utah and coming to SCV was a shell shock experience for him. The Condies eased that shell shock by welcoming them into the community.
“Gary helped us in so many ways temporally, spiritually, emotionally, just in so many ways to get established and to get our legs under us,” he said.
“They’re two of the most giving people I’ve ever known.”
