Couple married for 72 years honored at fair

“I never loved anybody else,” said Virginia Muncy, as she looked at her husband with a smile.

The celebration is an invitation only event for couples who have lived in Clark County for five or more years and who have been married to the same person for 50 or more years.

More than 200 couples attended the event. The king and queen are chosen by who has being married the longest and have attended the event before.

“You can say they have had a life that’s been well-lived,” said Jane Skogstrom, public relations coordinator of United Senior Services.

The Muncys were neighbors and met during their time at Snyder Park Junior High. They graduated together in 1940 from Springfield High School and married on November 9, 1941.

It’s been “72 years of fun,” said Don Muncy.

Don Muncy had a career in the United States Navy serving multiple jobs, including chief of the combined air traffic areas of San Francisco, Oakland and Sacramento. During his time in the Navy, he also served six years in World War II and two years in the Korean War.

Virginia Muncy learned Ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging. She has won several awards, including most prestigious, best in class, best in show of over 200 arrangements at an exhibit in Honolulu. She also studied in Tokyo where she earned a third-degree teaching diploma. She taught Ikebana for several years.

The couple retired in California and took up hobbies. Don Muncy studied painting and studied with Disney illustrator, Hal Krause. He now teaches painting at the Springfield Masonic Home, where they have lived since 2005.

Golfing was also a hobby they picked up during their retirement. Virginia Muncy won the 1991 Women’s Club Championship in California.

Don and Virginia Muncy had two children, both who live in Springfield.

The Golden Wedding Celebration is sponsored by United Senior Services and the Springfield Kiwanis Club.

The Kiwanis Club started the Golden Wedding celebration in 1958 and moved the celebration to the fairgrounds in 1964. Then in 1972, United Senior Services partnered up with the Kiwanis Club to sponsor the event.