David and Regina Hukill’s 50th Anniversary

David and Regina Hukill celebrated their 50th anniversary on Thursday, June 23rd, 2022. They both were born in Bakersfield, California. Dave graduated from West High School, and Regina from Foothill High School. Dave joined the army when he was 17, and did a tour in Vietnam before being discharged. He came home to work in construction with his father, started attending Bakersfield College, and bought a red MG Midget around the time Regina was a junior in high school.

They met at a church youth group meeting through mutual friends when Dave was 21 and Regina was 16. Dave quickly asked her to marry him, but she said no. He didn’t let the first no deter him, and began a campaign to win over Regina’s mother, aunt, and her mother’s best friend. In her senior year of high school, Regina realized that Dave wasn’t like any of the other boys she had dated. Having been in the army, he seemed much more worldly, and Dave was a good listener. He actually wanted to hear what she had to say. Regina fell in love with him, and said yes, the third time he asked for her hand.

David Hukill and Regina Sweat were married after she graduated from high school on June 23rd, which was the same day Regina’s parents had been married. It was a small ceremony at Trinity United Methodist Church on Niles and King Street. Regina’s maid of honor was Kim Keyser, and Dave had his best friend, Melvin Young serve as his best man.

After they were married, they lived on Hillburn Street in Bakersfield in an apartment Regina’s father owned. Their first child, Kim, was born in January 1976, and 3 years later their son, Montgomery, arrived. Dave earned an AA from BC in electronics, and continued to work worked in that field over the years. Regina worked at a bank, but eventually went back to school to become a mathematics teacher. After putting both kids through college, and his wife as well, Dave retired in 2013 from Sprint. Regina taught for the Kern High School District and Bakersfield College for a total of 26 years. She retired at the end of 2019 from BC.

One of their goals was to travel to all the presidential libraries in the U. S. They only have one more to go which is Jimmy Carter’s library in Atlanta, GA. Dave and Regina are the proud grandparents of a 6-year-old grandson named Xavier.

They agree that in each other, they have found the love of their lives and their closest, truest friend.