State Winners for 2013 Longest Married Couple Project Announced by Worldwide Marriage Encounter
The 2013 state winners of the annual Longest Married Couple Project, sponsored by Worldwide Marriage Encounter (WWME), the original faith based marriage enrichment program in this country, were announced today.
“We are amazed and thrilled at the number of couples married 70 years or more and we are particularly impressed that four of the couples taking the state honors each have over 79 years of marriage,” explained Ron and Judy Pekny, the United States Leadership Team for WWME. The Peknys serve with Fr. Rocky Grimard as the U.S. Ecclesial Team.
“There were hundreds of nominations submitted,” the Peknys explained, adding, “Among the winners there are many couples with 70 plus years of marriage and also quite a few with 60 plus years of marriage. That truly is a testament to having a commitment to a long marriage!”
The longest married couple in the United States, based on the nominations submitted, is John and Ann Betar of Fairfield, CT. They are married over 80 years having made their marriage vows on Nov. 25, 1932. The Peknys will be traveling to Mr. & Mrs. Betars’ hometown on Feb. 9th to personally honor them at a special ceremony.
As in previous years of the three year old project, individual state winners will be recognized and honored by couples involved with Worldwide Marriage Encounter, from all across the country, over the Valentine’s week and weekend.
Winners of the project are automatically made members of the Worldwide Marriage Encounter Longest Married Couple Project Alumni group. Couples cannot succeed themselves each year as either national or state winners, thus giving an opportunity to honor other longest married couples across the country.
The Peknys also pointed out that the project is based on nominations received from October 15th the previous year to January 10th of the current year. “We realize there could be couples married longer, but we did not receive their nominations from friends or family during the nominating period,” they said. They also pointed out that there were no nominations for several states.
The list of the 2013 state winners and their hometowns and wedding dates are as follows:
Arkansas — Bernie & Helen Kremer
71 years
Fort Smith, AR
November 17, 1941
California — Scott & Thelma Dowell
78 years
McCloud, CA
March 6, 1934
Colorado — John & Delores Siran
65 years
Colorado Springs, CO
October 11, 1947
Delaware — Bill & Ginny Miller
70 years
Dover, DE
August 7, 1942
Florida — Raymond & Valentine Cassagnol
69 years
Oviedo, FL
December, 23, 1943
Georgia — Bill & Jacque Dean
70 years
Acworth, GA
May 16, 1942
Hawaii — Joseph & Helen Vierra
75 years
Waimanalo, HI
August 28, 1937
Idaho — Norman & Edith Warren
79 years
Weiser, ID
April 7, 1933
Illinois — Phil & Kay Bail Sr.
71 years
Chicago, IL
September 9, 1941
Indiana — Bob & June McAfee
65 years
Fort Wayne, IN
June 7, 1947
Iowa — Leander & Odelia Cremer
72 years
Calmar, IA
February 5, 1940
Kansas — Stewart & Joyce Boone
64 years
Garden City, KS
August 15, 1948
Louisiana — Henry & Ida Smith
60 years
Gonzales, LA
March 10, 1952
Maryland — Dante & Olga Petrolini
74 years
Baltimore, MD
June 2, 1938
Massachusetts — Constanty & Anne Raccis
70 years
East Longmeadow, MA
August 1, 1942
Michigan — Ben & Ella Hensel
74 years
Linwood, MI
April 30, 1938
Minnesota — Severin & Lorraine Haus
69 years
St. Cloud, MN
September 23, 1943
Mississippi — Kimble & Virgie Wallace
72 years
Monticello, MS
April 13, 1940
Missouri — Dean & Naomi Jackson
65 years
North Kansas City, MO
January 12, 1947
Montana — Joe & Faye Donley
75 years
Forsyth, MT
June 5, 1937
Nebraska — Rudge and Dottie Vifquain
70 years
Lincoln, NE
November 8, 1942
New Jersey — Giacomo & Antonia DiRienzo
74 years
Burlington, NJ
June 12, 1938
New York — Walter & Anna Patrick
75 years
Troy, NY
May 1, 1937
North Carolina — Robert & Virginia Gerald
79 years
Goldsboro, NC
April 12, 1933
North Dakota — Wally & Ila Billing
70 years
Enderlin, ND
July 5, 1942
Ohio — Perry & Olive Daub
75 years
Columbus Grove, OH
December 24, 1937
Oregon — Willis & Iola Hinkle
77 years
Mt. Angel, OR
July 3, 1935
Pennsylvania — Clayton & Beatrice Herb
79 years
Schuylkill Haven, PA
June 29, 1933
Rhode Island — Eric & Doris Houston
65 years
Coventry, RI
April 26, 1947
South Carolina — Bob & Ethel Hirsch
66 years
Myrtle Beach, SC
June 29, 1946
South Dakota — Russ & Ann Lynn Graham
53 years
Beresford, SD
March 6, 1959
Tennessee — Grady & Flossie Bailey
72 years
Flag Pond, TN
November 23, 1940
Texas — Edwin & Gladys Chumchal
67 years
Shiner, TX
February 12, 1945
Virginia — Hubert & Marie Breeding
74 years
Wise, VA
May 3, 1938
West Virginia — John & Katherine Zinkus
70 years
New Martinsville, WV
April 27, 1942
Wisconsin — Roger & Rosella Feiten
78 years
New Auburn, WI
April 10th, 1934
Wyoming — Dan & Marcella Herrin
72 years
Greybull, WY
October 12, 1940
Worldwide Marriage Encounter has been offering weekend experiences for over 44 years and is considered the original faith-based marriage enrichment program. The programs are continually updated to keep abreast of changes in society, and WWME now offers evening and half-day programs that are presented at parishes and other church facilities. The weekend program, traditionally presented as an overnight experience at a hotel or retreat center, can also be presented at facilities where the couples return to their homes in the evenings. WWME has a presence in almost 100 countries, which makes it the largest pro-marriage movement in the world. In North America, the WWME programs are presented in English, Spanish, French, and Korean languages.
Worldwide Marriage Encounter offers married couples the opportunity to spend time together away from the busyness of the world to focus on each other. It offers tools for building and maintaining a strong, Christian marriage in today’s world. To learn more about the Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekends online go to www.wwme.org or you can call 1-800-795-LOVE (English) and 1-800-599-AMOR (Spanish), or contact the WWME Office at (909) 863-9963.
(Source: Christian Newswire)
