Madison, WI – Wisconsin Family Council (WFC) announced today the newest inductees into its Marriage Hall of Fame. WFC began this unique Hall of Fame to honor both the institution of marriage and individual marriages that have gone the distance. Applying to be part of the Marriage Hall of Fame was open to any married couple in Wisconsin who have currently been married 60 or more years.
This year, the honor of being the longest-married couple goes to Arthur and Margret Behling from Kimberly who have been married 76 years and are looking forward to celebrating 77 this July! Art and Marge were born in August and September 1923. Art was born in his father’s home which his father bought before he went to serve in the United States Army during World War I in 1917. Art joined the United States Navy during World War II and saw action in the Pacific. Both were born in homes on their respective father’s farm in Kimberly. Art and Marget both graduated from high school in 1941. They had six children (3 boys and 3 girls). Their marriage advise is a great reminder about how to ensure a relationship endures: “There needs to be a lot of compromise.”
The following 28 couples have all been married 60 or more years and are also inducted into Wisconsin’s Marriage Hall of Fame.
- David and Elvera Kulas, Athens, married 74 years (shortly after the couple applied, David passed away. We are including them because they had applied prior to the deadline, and we wish to honor them and their marriage.)
- Dale and Ardis Thorsbakken, Onalaska, married 73 years
- Henry and Lois Dummann, West Bend, married 72 years
- Raymond and Marian Etzel, Menomonee Falls, married 71 years
- Allen and Jean Frank, Amery, married 71 years
- Leo and Barbara Moss, Lake Geneva, married 71 years
- Gary and Mary Wolfe, Grafton, married 71 years
- Dick and Jean Krueger, Minocqua, married 69 years
- Roger and Dorothy Felten, Schofield, married 68 years
- Bruce and Virginia Walters, Oconomowoc, married 68 years
- Lee and Donna Misener, Rib Lake, married 66 years
- Tom and Berby Fitzgerald, Menomonee Falls, married 65 years
- Joe and Jerelyn Hawn, Watertown, married 65 years
- Gary and Nancy Ruud, Burlington, married 65 years
- Larry and Barb Wachs, Crivitz, married 65 years
- Robert and Juanita Warinner, Omro, married 65 years
- Lowell and Carol Geithman, Pewaukee, married 64 years
- Clayton and Janet Jones, Franklin, married 64 years
- Ed and Diane Fuller, Waukesha, married 63 years
- Philip and Gloria Hodgson, Pardeeville, 63 years
- Allan and Sonja Lou Wire, Argyle, married 63 years
- John and Beverly Meissner, Sparta, married 62 years
- George and Maureen Birkeland, Madison, married 61 years
- Paul and Matilda Franks, Milwaukee, married 61 years
- Andrew and Nancy Buhrow, Sparta, married 60 years
- Loren and Lila Krueger, Onalaska, married 60 years
- Robert and Carol Musum, Milwaukee, married 60 years
- Richard and Harlene Wright, Shell Lake, married 60 years
The stories and the marriage advice from each of these couples, along with pictures of many of them, are available HERE. We encourage people to read these inspiring, heart-felt stories and the helpful advice from those whose marriages have lasted a lifetime.
Julaine Appling, president of WFC, commented, “Marriage is the foundational institution of every society. Strong marriages that endure are critically important for the well-being of our state. These individuals are setting an incredible example for the next generations by weathering the storms that come in any relationship and continuing to love the other person. That’s a message we desperately need these days. ‘Throw-away’ marriages are far too common.
“We congratulate each of these couples on these milestone anniversaries and are proud to induct them into Wisconsin’s Marriage Hall of Fame, where they join eleven others inducted last year. Once again this year, we noticed a very common thread in the stories and the advice from these couples and that is that they point out that it is their belief in God and His Son Jesus Christ that ultimately has kept them together.
“WFC looks forward to inducting more couples next year into this unique Hall of Fame, designed to give honor and recognition to Wisconsin couples who so beautifully exemplify what “I do” really means.
Each of these couples will receive a framed certificate recognizing their induction into the Wisconsin Marriage Hall of Fame.
