Jan 24, 2012 National Winners Announced

San Bernardino, CA - Worldwide Marriage Encounter, the original faith based marriage enrichment program in the United States, announces the winner of the Longest Married Couple Project to be Wibur & Theresa Faiss of Las Vegas, NV. They have been married 78 years as of Feb. 11, 2012.

The state winners as a result of the project will be announced on Monday, Jan. 30, 2012. There were 256 nominations received from 47 states.

"What a privilege and honor it is to recognize Wilbur & Theresa Faiss for their commitment to marriage," said Scott and Karen Seaborn, the United States Ecclesial Team for WWME. "We look forward to personally recognizing them on Feb. 11th in their hometown of Las Vegas," they added. The Seaborns serve with Fr. Tom Griffith, SVD, as the U.S. leadership for the marriage enrichment movement.

The Faiss' were married April 14, 1933. They met at a roller skating rink in Centralia, IL in 1930. Mr. Faiss said it was" love at first sight."

The Nevada couple achieved the honor of being the Longest Married Couple based on the over 250 nominations submitted to Worldwide Marriage Encounter beginning in October of last year.

Worldwide Marriage Encounter created this project to highlight marriage in America and to show young couples that marriage really can go the distance. "What an inspiration Mr. & Mrs. Faiss are to all of us. They made a commitment to each other 78 years ago and they have kept that commitment over these many years. They truly are a sign of hope to us all," the Seaborns said.

The national winners have three children, six grandchildren, five great grandchildren and four great great grandchildren.

The presentation of gifts and acknowledgements to the Faiss' will be made at 10 am Feb. 11th at the Wilbur & Theresa Faiss Middle School, which is named in honor of them, and is located in Las Vegas.

The state winners will also be presented their certificates and recognitions by Worldwide Marriage Encounter couples, during Valentine's week. 

Jan 30, 2012 State Winners Announced  

The 2012 state winners of the annual Longest Married Couple Project sponsored by Worldwide Marriage Encounter, the original faith based marriage enrichment program in this country, were announced today.

"The number of years many of these couples are married is just awesome," explained Scott and Karen Seaborn, the United States Leadership Team for WWME.  The Seaborns serve with Fr. Tom Griffith, SVD, as the U.S. Ecclesial Team.

"There were 256 nominations from 47 states," the Seaborns explained, adding, "There are four couples married 78 years, many couples married 70 plus years and quite a few couples with 60 plus years of marriage. What a testament to having a commitment to a long marriage!"

The longest married couple in the United States, based on the nominations submitted, is Wilbur and Theresa Faiss of Las Vegas, NV.  They are married 78 years having made their marriage vows on April 14, 1933.  The Seaborns will be traveling to the Faiss' hometown on Feb. 11th to personally honor them at a special ceremony.

This year individual state winners will be recognized and honored by couples involved with Worldwide Marriage Encounter, all across the country, over the Valentine's week and weekend.

Winners of the initial project, which was held last year, automatically became 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 list of the 2012 state winners and their hometowns are as follows:

Alabama - Joseph & Louise Grey, Mobile AL, 72 years

Arkansas - Roy & Vola Edgmon, Lowell AR, 78 years

California - Primitivo & Mauricia Ballesteros, Sunnyvale CA, 75 years

Colorado - Chuck & Inez Massana, Pueblo CO, 76 years

Connecticut - Charles & Dorothy Baldis, Granby CT, 65 years

Delaware - Valentino & Mary Nardo, Wilmington DE, 71 years

Florida - Ned & Martha Dickson, Lake Placid FL, 75 years

Georgia - Victor & Ellen Della-Giustina, Augusta  GA, 66 years

Hawaii - Percy & Helen Chun, Kaimuki HI, 74 years

Iowa - Ray & Margaret Kuethe, Sumner IA, 76 years

Idaho - LeRoy & Frances Ellwood, Meridian ID, 71 years

Illinois - Dale & Doris Chatfield, Chicago IL, 73 years

Indiana - Jack & Thelma Flory, New Haven IN, 69 years

Kansas - Gilbert & Barbara Knipp, Scott City KS, 72 years

Kentucky - Bob & Agnes Schneider, Lexington KY, 75  years

Louisiana - Charles & Nelda Bernard, Lafayette LA, 70 years

Massachusetts - Malcolm & Ellen Brown, Westminster MA, 70 years

Maryland - Joseph & Stella Sheleheda, Solomons MD, 73 years

Maine - Norm & Joan Putnam, Bryant Pond ME, 63 years

Michigan - Joseph & Margory Zelesky, Flat Rock MI, 70 years

Minnesota - Pinky & Maree Skorich, Marble MN, 74 years

Missouri - Bob & Shirley Hill, Arnold MO, 62 years

Mississippi - Thomas E. & Helen B. Haffey, Lexington MS, 71 years

Montana - Ben & Betty Hanson, Miles City MT, 69 years

North Carolina - Carl & Cyndi Whaley, Richlands NC, 76 years

North Dakota - Earl & Elizabeth Hanson, Cooperstown ND, 71 years

Nebraska - Harold & Iola (Ole) Meierhenry, Fremont NE, 78 years

New Hampshire - Vincent & Ruth Trainor, Milton NH, 76 years

New Jersey - Emil & Carol Tiusty, Wallington NJ, 65 years

New Mexico - Zack & Eloisa Montoya, Albuquerque NM, 73 years

New York - John & Victoria Frontera, West Seneca NY, 72 years

Ohio - Earl & Maxine Martin, Vienna OH, 71 years

Oklahoma - Andrew & Grace Stagner, Hinton OK, 63 years

Oregon - Erman & Erma Johnston, Albany OR, 78 years

Pennsylvania - Paul & Martha Shannon, New Castle PA, 72 years

Rhode Island - Philip & Norma Monte, Narragansett RI, 66 years

South Carolina - A.J. & Margaret Lewis, Columbia SC, 69 years

South Dakota - Durwood & Arlene Bouzek, Hot Springs SD, 64 years

Tennessee - Bernard & Doris Green, Crossville TN, 68 years

Texas - Ted & Marie Keller, Amarillo TX, 73 years

Washington - John & Hilda Phillips, Deer Park WA, 70 years

Wisconsin - Joseph & Rosemary Grout, Madison WI, 73 years

West Virginia - Vinton & Juanita Marshall, Bluefield WV, 70 years

Wyoming - Paul and Vivian Smith, Big Piney WY, 73 years