The 2021 state winners of the 11th annual Longest Married Couple Project, sponsored by Worldwide Marriage Encounter (WWME), were announced today.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA, UNITED STATES, October 5, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The 2021 state winners of the 11th annual Longest Married Couple Project, sponsored by Worldwide Marriage Encounter (WWME), the original faith-based marriage enrichment program in this country, were announced today.

“While the pandemic continues across the United States, we are very pleased that almost 100 nominations were received and that we have 33 state winners,” said Tony & Sue Morris and Fr. Tom Ogg, the United States Leadership Team for WWME.

“As we have done with the national winner, Dan & Mary Kruse from Alexandria, Minnesota who are married 82 years, the state winners will be honored either virtually or personally as an abundance of caution,” the Morris’ explained.

Individual state winners will be recognized and honored by couples involved with Worldwide Marriage Encounter during October and November or at a time convenient for the winning state couple and their families.

Worldwide Marriage Encounter created the project to highlight marriage in America and to show young couples that marriage really can go the distance. Winners of the project are automatically made members of the Worldwide Marriage Encounter Longest Married Couple Project Alumni group.

The Morris’ also pointed out that the project is based on nominations received from June to September of the current year. They also said there were no nominations this year from several states, while the winners in three states were previous winners so they cannot succeed themselves.

The list of the 2021 state winners and their hometowns and wedding dates are as follows:

Alabama
Johnny & Jimmie Sims, Nauvoo, Alabama 59 years Dec. 24. 1960

Arizona
Manuel & Maria Reyes, Yuma, Arizona 75 years January 13, 1946

Arkansas
Charles & Patricia Granberry, Perry, Arkansas 71 years August 8, 1950

California
Lloyd & Barbara LaBlanc, Dana Point, California 65 years Dec. 26, 1955

Colorado
Bob & Margaret Jones, Pagosa Springs, CO 65 years Sept 22,

Connecticut
Nathaniel & Dolores Foster, Hamden, Connecticut 75 years August 17, 1946

Delaware
Michael & Eileen McHale, Seaford, Delaware 56 years April 24, 1965

Florida
Bill & Audrey Skidmore, Rockledge, Florida 64 years June 9, 1957

Hawaii
Marco & Evelyn Molina Jr., Waihee, Hawaii 69 years October 20,1951

Idaho
Merrell & Nadene Dahlstrom, Sweet, Idaho 73 years Nov 22, 1946

Illinois
Roy & Norma May, Waterloo, Illinois 73 years October 7, 1947

Indiana
Edward & Patricia Woehnker, Fort Wayne, Indiana 72 years January 22, 1949

Iowa
Richard & Rosalene Heil, Marshalltown, Iowa 73 years August 9, 1948

Kentucky
Jim & Barbara Bowers, Bowling Green, Kentucky 61 years November 21, 1959

Louisiana
David & Connie Landgrave, Lafayette, Louisiana 65 years Sept. 3, 1956

Maine
Chris & Darla Phillips, Troy, Maine 39 years October 29,1982

Maryland
August & Delphine Meerschaert, Marriottsville, Maryland 72 years June 18, 1949

Massachusetts
John & Mary Aguiar, Somerset, Massachusetts 64 years Nov. 12, 1956

Missouri
Irvin & Marion Benes, Lampe, Missouri 71 years June 10, 1950

Nebraska
Dale & Audrey Caskey, Bassett, Nebraska 73 years October 18, 1947

Nevada
Frank & Barbara Dempsey, Boulder City, Nevada 69 years Feb. 2, 1962

New Hampshire
Joseph & Barbara McLaughlin, Goffstown, New Hampshire 73 years June 19, 1948

New Jersey
William & Seraphim Mungin Bey, Piscataway, New Jersey 75 years June 9, 1946

New York
Raymond & Marilyn Walther, Bethpage, New York 65 years August 25, 1956

North Dakota
Anton & Helen Hatzenbuhler, Mandan, North Dakota 73 years Oct 7, 1947

Ohio
Don & Ann Rea, Bellefontaine, Ohio 63 years Dec. 21, 1957

Oklahoma
Warren & Dorothy Geis, Enid, Oklahoma 69 years July 29, 1952

Pennsylvania
Gerald & Mary Pat Reidy, Conshokocken, Pennsylvania 65 years April 7, 1956

Rhode Island
John & Phyllis Kayata, Pawtucket, Rhode Island 53 years July 14, 1968

South Dakota
Marvin & Mary Kalt, Aberdeen, South Dakota 71 years Sept 4, 1949

Texas
Ivan & Rosalie Camp, Frisco, Texas 58 years August 24, 1963

Wisconsin
Raymond & Marian Etzel, Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin 70 years June 30, 1951

Wyoming
Tom & Nancy Murphy, Gillette, Wyoming 65 years Sept 2, 1956

Worldwide Marriage Encounter has been offering weekend experiences for over 52 years. The programs are continually updated to keep abreast of changes in society.
The marriage encounter experience, traditionally held in a hotel, retreat house, or parish over the weekend, has now expanded to adapt to current needs. Virtual online programs are now live facilitated by couples and priests through video conference on either weekends or week-day evenings.

Our goal is to “go into your home, virtually, to assist couples and priests to not only improve their relationships but to Thrive Together,” said Tony & Sue and Fr. Tom.
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. The marriage encounter experience is also available to priests and religious to enhance their sacraments. To learn more about the Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekends online go to wwme.org. or contact the WWME Office at (909) 863-9963.

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Media inquiries should be directed to:
Dick & Diane Baumbach
(321) 544-3440 dickanddiane66@bellsouth.net

Dick & Diane Baumbach
Worldwide Marriage Encounter North American Secretariat
+1 321-544-3440
dick.diane.baumbach@wwme.org