The Bowie News conducted contest seeking long married couples who offered their suggestions for a long married life. Congratulations to Kevin and Jan Browning who were selected by outside judges to win the contest. Thank you to Dos Amigas for providing the dinner for two prize.

The Brownings have been married 49 years in 2026. What makes a long successful marriage? Be best friends, have fun and always accept each other for who you are, even if you grit your teeth sometimes! Love, forgive and take care of each other through life’s ups and downs.

Top photo – Jan and Kevin Browning today.

Here are the other contestants and we thank them all for participating. Happy Valentine’s Day to all.

Jacky and Alicia Betts

A long and happy marriage is centered around God first and foremost! Communication and understating are vital. We are high school sweethearts. We compliment each other and lift each other up. Seeing the positive aspects of your spouse and recognizing those is so important This year we will be together 40 years. We still go out on dates and take advantage of opportunities to take new adventures. I’m so excited to see where we will go in the next 40 years.

Levi and Taylor Davis

Place God as number one and your spouse as number two, never go to bed upset, always look for ways to make their day better. Know the vows you took before God and honor them unwavering.

Lauren and Kent Dosch

The success to a long and happy marriage is keeping God at the center of your marriage. I do wish we would have learned that in the earlier years. Being married is like having a full-time job and ever day is new. Your attitude, ability to compromise and given and take also attribute to celebrating another year together5. Keeping your vows and honoring them day in and out is the most important. It’s not just a promise to each other but a promise to the Lord. Again, if you get the order right of the Lord, your spouse, your children and so on, everything else will work itself out according to his plan.

Jordan and Rebekah O’Kelley

We just celebrated our 10-year anniversary on Dec, 12. ❤️

I know we probably haven’t been married as long as other contestants, but the secret to a happy marriage for us, is friendship. My husband is my best friend. Being able to laugh together, especially through stressful times, means we can rely on each other for support. Knowing what to say and how to say it is very important and something we learned the hard way at the beginning of our marriage. We are 2 people that keep choosing each other through boring, hard and painful days. Together we have 3 beautiful children, and everyone knows once they become parents, marriages get a lot harder because we don’t get that one-on-one time anymore like we used to. You just must keep the small moments of kindness going and have your spouse as your best friend. God first, spouse second, family third and everyone else last!

Stephanie and Ken Post

We are coming up on our 20th anniversary this year! We were married on May 6, 2006

Our marriage has thrived because of our honest communication with each other, mutual respect, and the willingness to listen and grow together through both joyful and challenging seasons. Our shared values make us a united team, while grace and forgiveness allow room for imperfections. Our marriage is a deep friendship, filled with laughter, loyalty, and the steadfast belief that with God at the center, we can endure and succeed in anything that life throws at us.

Angie and John Terry, Bowie

We married on top of a mountain in Springdale, Utah. April 24,2012. We have known each other since we were 12 years old , went to junior high & high school together. Reconnected on Facebook after a lot of years , marriages & children apart. 

The key to being married so long is, don’t marry young when you don’t even know who you are as a person.

Elanda and Jesus Vega

Our marriage is truly a once-in-a-lifetime love story, one filled with love, hope, uncertainty, restoration and renewal and joy in our 30 plus year journey. On this journey, this is what I have learned about what it takes to make a long and happy marriage.

A long and happy Marriage is a sacred covenant between two imperfect hearts, held together by a perfect God at the center of their union rooted in faith. It is a lifelong friendship based in prayer and not pride. honest communication, grace and forgiveness and not perfection, It’s the daily choosing of one another to grow together but never forgetting the importance of individuality while honoring to remain faithful and committed-especially in moments when agreement is hard to find. Serving instead of competing and most importantly trusting in God to lead, renew, and strengthen the bond for a lifetime.

Ecclesiastes: 4:12

A cord of three strands is not easily broken.

Dylan and Valerie Duncan

What makes a long and happy marriage?

Strong faith in the Lord and openness with each other. 

We got married on May 25, 2025

 I watched my grandparents live that way.