Mr. Kuykendall said that the two “got along well” in high school and that Mrs. Kuydendall “thought I was a pretty good catch.” Mrs. Kuykendall reflected that over the last 82 years, one of their biggest joys in life was starting a family.
The Worldwide Marriage Encounter held a ceremony and celebration in the Kuykendalls' honor on Feb. 12, at the Hampton Inn in their hometown of Lordsburg, N.M. Scott and Karen Seaborn, who serve as the United States Ecclesial Team for the marriage enrichment organization, expressed their congratulations to the couple, concluding the nationwide search that drew more than 300 total applicants, including nominees from every U.S. state.
Marshall and Winnie, who are respectively 103 and 102, travelled to the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington, D.C., where the Seaborns presented them with memento gifts, a certificate of achievement and a plague of recognition from the “longest married” project. They were also honored by the governor, state legislative officials and the Lordsburg mayor.
Over 45 family members and friends attended the presentation, which was broadcast live by a large number of radio stations across the U.S.
"It is truly an honor to have shared time with Marshall and Winnie and their family. It is a moment that we will never forget," the Seaborns said.
Out of the 312 nominations for the nationwide contest, 100 couples have been married for between 70 and 79 years, while 155 other nominees could boast anywhere from 60 to 69 years.