Contact: Dick & Diane Baumbach, Worldwide Marriage Encounter, 321-544-3440, dickanddiane66@bellsouth.net

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif., Feb. 8, 2017 /Christian Newswire/ -- The 2017 state winners of the seventh annual Longest Married Couple Project, sponsored by Worldwide Marriage Encounter (WWME), the original faith based marriage enrichment program in this country, were announced today.

"It is just amazing to us the number of couples married 70 years or more and in addition those with 60 plus years of marriage," said Joe & Sue Talarico, the United States Leadership Team for WWME. The Talaricos serve with Fr. Tom Ogg as the U.S. Leadership Team.

"There were hundreds of nominations submitted," the Talaricos explained, adding, "And, again we witnessed couples married 50 years or more being recognized by family and friends as they submitted their names to the Longest Married Couple Project."

The 2017 longest married couple in the United States, based on the nominations submitted, is Horace Allen & Beatrice Ricks of Callahan, Florida. They are married over 81 years having made their marriage vows in Dec. 25, 1935. The Talaricos will be honoring Mr. & Mrs. Ricks in a special ceremony in their hometown of Callahan, Saturday (Feb. 11, 2017) just prior to Valentine's Day.

As in previous years of the seven-year-old project, individual state winners will also be recognized and honored by couples involved with Worldwide Marriage Encounter over the Valentine's week or at a time convenient for the winning state couple and their families.
 
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 Talaricos also pointed out that the project is based on nominations received from October 10th the previous year to January 10th of the current year.  They also said there there were no nominations this year from five states.
           
The list of the 2017 state winners and their hometowns and wedding dates are as follows:

Alabama
Robert & Phyllis Barrett
Cropwell, AL
July 1, 1950 – 66 years

Alaska
Ray & Bernice Sewicky
Anchorage, AK
April 20, 1948  - 68 years

Arizona
Stephen & Frances McCarville,
Casa Grande, AZ.
Jan. 19, 1957    59 years

Arkansas
James & Gussie Garfield
North Little Rock, AR
Dec. 25, 1939 – 77 years

California
Hipolito and Ildefonsa Esposo
Santa Clara, CA
December 29, 1943 – 73 years

Colorado
William & Margaret Hensen
Colorado Springs, CO
June 20, 1959 – 57 years

Connecticut
Martin & Mary Konefal
Rockfall, CT
Jan. 8, 1945 – 72 years

Delaware
Angelo & Carolyn Massino
Bethany Beach, DE
Sept. 18, 1954 – 62 years

Florida
Victor & Margaret Gerard
Haines City, FL
April 25, 1943 – 73 years

Georgia
Nicholas & Mary Joan Cogelia
Duluth, GA
June 29, 1963 – 53 years

Hawaii
Ed & Marie Nishihara
Wailuku , Maui
Feb. 23, 1946 – 70 years

Idaho
Martin & Wanda Lee Arford
Nampa, ID
August 28, 1943 – 73 years

Illinois
Fritz & Lilly Mai
Geneva, IL
March 25, 1950 – 66 years

Indiana                                               
Wayne & Joan Caldwell
Fishers, IN
June 6, 1946 – 70 years

Iowa
Murlyn & Lillian Ronk
Dunlap, IA
June 3, 1941 – 75 years

Kansas
Robert & Mary Stockman
Lyndon, KS
June 13, 1947 – 69 years

Kentucky
Ed & Gertrude Maxwell
Louisville, KY
Sept. 19, 1942 – 74 years

Maine
George & Donna Mitchell
Troy, ME
June 16, 1955 – 61 years

Maryland
Albert & Mary Chesnavage
Baltimore, MD
May 22, 1943 – 73 years

Massachusetts
John & Ellen Tietgens
Clarksburg, MA
April 22, 1944 – 72 years

Michigan
Daniel & Madge Bursch
Grand Rapids, MI
Aug. 8, 1944 – 72 years

Minnesota
Vincent & Leona Arceno
St. Paul, MN
Feb. 27, 1943 – 73 years

Mississippi
David & Margaret Huch
Ridgeland, MS
May 19, 1951 – 65 years

Missouri
Paul & Helen Eeftink
Chesterfield, MO
July 3, 1954 – 62 years

Montana
John & Betty Carter
Denton, MT
Dec. 27, 1945 – 71 years

Nebraska
Gil & Pat Cron
Friend, NE
Sept. 19, 1954 – 62 years

Nevada
Gail & Donna Andress
Nelson, NV
July 9, 1944 – 72 years

New Jersey
Henry & Stephanie Kilanowski
Toms River, NJ
Jan. 27, 1940 – 76 years

New York
Frank & Helen Luisi
East Rockaway, NY
April 19, 1945 – 71 years

North Carolina
Ernest & Mary Floyd
Columbus, NC
Feb. 14, 1942 – 74 years

North Dakota
Kermit & Nina Heen
Williston, ND
March 9, 1943 – 73 years

Ohio
Joseph & Olga Pasquarella
Steubenville, OH
June 15, 1948 – 68 years

Oklahoma
Dick & Rosalle Horn
Quapaw, OK 
Sept. 2, 1941 – 75 years

Oregon
Claude & Yvette Arrington
Newberg, OR
May 23, 1942 – 74 years

Pennsylvania
Craig & Beatrice Beltzner
Northampton, PA
April 26, 1941 – 75 years

Rhode Island
Ed & Marie Ketz
Riverside, RI
Nov. 28, 1948 – 68 years

South Carolina
Ralph & Mary Bass
Greer, SC
August 15, 1942 – 74 years

Tennessee
Steve & Mary Lou Knowles
Fairfield Glade, TN
Nov. 11, 1947 – 69 years

Texas
Bill & Bess Ray
Quitman, TX
Nov. 1, 1940 – 76 years

Vermont
Al & Mary Ann Barcomb
Burlington, VT
Feb. 27, 1960 – 56 years

Virginia
Glen & Bea Hill
Norton, VA
May 18, 1940 – 76 years

Washington
William & Helen Aker
Lilliwaup, WA
June 14, 1941 – 75 years

West Virginia
James & Elise McCormick
Sumerco, WV
Jan. 10, 1942 – 74 years

Wisconsin
Robert & Viola Maahs
Fence, WI
Oct. 21, 1939 – 77 years 

Wyoming
Joe & Eldine Maixner
Casper, WY
Feb. 2, 1946 – 70 years

Worldwide Marriage Encounter has been offering weekend experiences for over 49 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 wwme.org or contact the WWME Office at (909) 863-9963.

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