The Wilkinsons show their longest-married certificate at their home in Kona. (Courtesy photo)
Special to the Herald
Worldwide Marriage Encounter congratulates Sean and Patricia Wilkinson of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, recognized as the 2020 longest-married couple in the State of Hawaii. The Wilkinsons, who just celebrated their 69th anniversary on Sept. 4, are members of St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Kailua-Kona.
“We are honored to recognize Sean and Patricia for their commitment to marriage,” said Jim and Robbie Breidenbach, Marriage Encounter’s West Hawaii Community couple. “Due to the COVID-19 constraints, our leadership on Oahu and Maui couldn’t reasonably travel to the Big Island, so we were humbly privileged to honor this beautiful couple on their behalf.”
Sean and Patricia were married in Ireland on Sept. 4, 1951. Their wedding had been delayed for a year because Patricia’s parents wanted Sean to pay off his car loan. And they wanted to make sure he had a pension.
Sean, a musician and performer, took his beloved Patricia with him throughout Europe, then to the United States. He was a world-renowned, award-winning percussionist, who played with well-known artists including Johnny Cash, Don Ho, Johnny Mathis and Lionel Hampton, before settling in Kailua-Kona with his bride.
Sean and Patricia Wilkinson 69 years ago on their wedding day in Ireland. (Courtesy photo)
“Their stories were moving, and their continuing love was inspiring, as they shared many humorous and heartwarming stories over the few hours we were blessed to share with them,” said the Breidenbachs.
Because of the pandemic, the celebration was limited to the Wilkinsons, the Breidenbachs, Jack and Zola Ingram from St Michael, and Father Konelio Faletoi, pastor of St. Michael Parish.
Worldwide Marriage Encounter, the original faith-based marriage enrichment program in the United States, created the Longest Married Couple Project to highlight marriage in America, and to show young couples that marriage really can go the distance.
WWME has a presence in almost 100 countries, which makes it the largest pro-marriage movement in the world. The organization has been offering in-person encounter experiences for over 52 years, traditionally held in a hotel, retreat house, or parish over the weekend. To adapt to current needs, virtual programs are now live online, facilitated by couples and priests through video conference on either weekends or weekday evenings.
For more information about Worldwide Marriage Encounter in Hawaii, visit www.hawaiiwwme.org, or call 808-373-0890.
