A LOVE THAT LASTS

True love knows no walls, boundaries or limitations. Just ask Gary Draszt and he will attest this to be true. As true as his love for his wife of 64 years, Joan.

The Draszts' anniversary was March 23. There was no way Gary was going to let current distancing regulations get in his way of celebrating with his beloved. Not only are there restrictions on what businesses can remain open, but visitation rights at care facilities have also been taken away. This posed a problem for Gary. As fate would have it, Joan is a long-term care resident in Plains.

And so, after 23,360 days of marriage, they touched... through a windowpane. His hand held hers, and there was love with no barriers. In Gary's other hand he held a neon pink poster with the inscription, "Happy 64th Wedding Anniversary," surrounded by gold hearts. Visitation restrictions were not going to stop Gary from rejoicing this milestone with his bride.

True love began on a Thompson Falls school bus in 1950, when Joan moved to the Whitepine area from Walla Walla, Washington. Her father was an engineering surveyor for the dam, according to Gary. "My mom cooked at the Whitepine school and she (Joan) would ride with us to the bus stop," Gary said as being the beginning of a wonderful relationship.

"We just really liked each other a lot I guess," said Gary. And so, on a beautiful March day in 1956, the almost 20-year-olds wed in the Whitepine Church. From that moment forward, many, many memories were made.

The Draszts remained on the Beaver Creek family ranch after Gary's father was killed in a logging accident and his mother relocated to Boulder, Montana, for work after the school she worked at burned down. They had three children, Charles, Norma Jean and Jaki, before selling the ranch in 1978 and moving to Thompson Falls.

"We worked all the time," Gary shared as being the secret to happiness, "and we kept busy." He was a logger and worked for Thompson Falls Lumber Company. He sold real estate and worked construction throughout the years while Joan spent time serving on the Glacier Country tourism committee and participated on the Glacial Lake Missoula study. Her hobbies included oil painting and writing. She is a published author, writing on the history of Sanders County, and also wrote for The Ledger. Becoming a master in horticulture, she became a "perfect gardener," he emphasized. "She had the best-looking gardens."

Reminiscing about the radiated beauty of Joan's garden, Gary was quickly reminded of when Joan was "crowned with a tiara at The Lawrence Welk Show held in Great Falls," during the show's heyday. Mrs. Montana, 1966 – the title was awarded to Joan Draszt.

In 1988, the couple moved to Missoula for a little over a year to work for a property management business. It was then when Gary received an offer to become the Sanders County fair manager. "We wanted to be back anyway, sometime or another," so Gary said they came back to Sanders County and resided in Plains for close to four years. All in all, the couple relocated quite a few times, including Beaver Creek, Prospect Creek and Belknap.

While serving on the Glacier Country tourism board, Joan worked her way up to vice president, and was offered the presidential role. She declined the position as her health was declining. In 2015, she suffered a life changing stroke. From then on, Joan's health concerns required her to continue relocating from Missoula, Bigfork, Helena, Hot Springs and her home until her current place of residence at the Plains long term care facility.

"I went and saw her every day since she was in Hot Springs," dedicated Gary. He continues to do just that even though the visitation restrictions set in place "started as a week, then to two weeks. Now they are saying Easter. I guess we will see." Where there is a will there is a way. Gary said they are getting set up with Zoom, a virtual meeting program, so the two can spend more time together.

"It was actually fun," Gary said about their 64th wedding anniversary celebration. Even though it was through a window, the two had time to share their love and express gratitude for the day when Joan moved to Beaver Creek, 69 years ago.

Not a day goes by that Gary doesn't visit Joan. With admiration he said, "She waits for me."