High school sweethearts celebrate 50 years together

KateLynn Slaamot
NLJ Correspondent
 
“I think we’ve always been like best friends,” said Patty McCoy, who recently celebrated her 50th wedding anniversary with her husband, Rusty. 
Both Rusty and Patty were born and raised in Newcastle, and their story as a couple starts at a very young age, according to Patty, who said they grew up in the same neighborhood and always knew each other. 
Although they did “lose track” of each other for a little while, they reconnected in high school when Patty babysat for Rusty’s sister and brother-in-law. The brother-in-law was supposed to take Patty and her friend to the movies as payment, but he talked Rusty into taking them instead. 
“And then we just started going out after that,” Patty said. “I just always liked him.”
Rusty laughed. 
“I didn’t see what she seen in me,” Rusty said.
After two years of dating, Rusty and Patty were married on Nov. 21, 1970, at the ages of 17 and 19. 
But, while being young and in love had its perks, it also came with challenges. After enlisting in the military in May 1970, Rusty was sent to Germany shortly after they were married. 
“It was hard,” Patty said, noting that they were apart for several months. During their time away from each other, they only spoke on the phone once because three minutes of call time cost $100. Patty said that they wrote letters back and forth a lot. 
In June 1971, Patty and the couple’s son, Lee Allen, joined Rusty in Germany. Patty said that it was quite the experience living in Germany, and they had to walk everywhere because they didn’t have a car. 
The young family had to do laundry at a laundromat three blocks away from their home, and Patty said they transported it to and from the laundromat in the baby carriage they had for Lee Allen.
Certain conveniences were a little tough to come by too, according to Patty. They had
to heat their water using a coal-powered water heater in order to take a bath, and Patty also used a 5-gallon water heater that hung on the wall for dishwashing.
Rusty reminisced about a favorite spot of theirs that was a 30-minute walk from their home. It had three large swimming pools and a field for playing Frisbee, he said. Patty also mentioned the
beautiful cathedrals and castles in Germany. 
“There was a lot to see and do,” Patty said. 
The McCoys had several friends in Germany who were in the military with Rusty,
and they did all sorts of things together. 
In 1972, the Munich massacre occurred during the Summer Olympics. Palestinian terrorists attacked members of the Olympic team from Israel. 
Rusty said he was in the field for two weeks, preparing to come to Israel’s aid. However, the conflict was resolved before that happened. 
In 1973, Rusty and Patty moved back to Newcastle and have lived here ever since. They welcomed a baby girl, Trisha, into their family a couple of years later. 
Family-centered values are important to the McCoys, they said, and they have enjoyed many special times in the BearTooth Mountains near Cody. They fished, hunted, went sightseeing, among other activities. 
“There’s too many stories to tell,” Rusty said. 
In their many years together, the couple has learned a lot about how to maintain a healthy marriage, they said. 
“You better be able to give and take,” Rusty said. 
Patty also said that it helps if you truly like each other. Patty said that she and Rusty are really “best friends,” who do absolutely everything together. 
“We’ve always just been together,” Patty said. 
Rusty and Patty also said that they can always count on each other, no matter what. 
“She’s the most dependable person I’ve ever been around,” Rusty said. 
Trisha Taylor, the couple’s daughter, said that her parents have taught her a great deal. She said that they exemplify how to truly listen to others,
an important aspect in any relationship. 
“They’ve probably taught me what real unconditional love is,” Trisha said. 
Rusty and Patty take care of each other, Trisha said, and still are “affectionate” toward each other. 
The McCoys have four grandchildren, four step-grandchildren, eight step-great-grandchildren, and a great-grandchild on the way, and they love spending time with their family, they said. Their weekly Sunday dinners are a highlight of their week, they said. 
“The whole family cherishes it, but Mom and Dad really cherish it,” Trisha said. “We’re just together.”