FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, February 14, 2019
LITTLE
ROCK, AR – For 79 years of marriage, Family Council will honor, Cleovis and
Arwilda Whiteside of White Hall, AR as Arkansas’ Longest Married Couple. The
Whitesides, along with the Top Ten Longest Married Couples, will be celebrated at
a special dessert reception at the Arkansas Governor’s Mansion with hosts
Governor Asa Hutchinson and First Lady Susan Hutchinson. This is Family
Council’s second year celebrating Arkansas’ Longest Married Couple. “We are
excited to continue this annual tradition of celebrating marriage and finding
Arkansas’ Longest Married Couples, and we are grateful to the Governor and
First Lady for helping us make this special occasion possible,” Jerry Cox,
President of Family Council said. “The Whitesides symbolize the good of
Arkansas, a state that has always valued marriage, family, and God. The
Whitesides, along with the Top Ten Longest Married Couples, will receive a
Special Letter of Recognition from Governor Hutchinson, and the Whitesides’
family and friends will be present to celebrate this momentous occasion.
Cleovis
and Arwilda Whiteside, respectively 97 and 93 years old, met at church in Clarendon,
Arkansas, when he was 13 and she was 9. The story begins when Arwilda and her
friend Caroline were walking home from school and some boys began to chase
them. Caroline told Arwilda to run to Cleovis, because he would protect them. He
did, and he made the boys leave Arwilda and Caroline alone. Several years later
while attending a church box supper, Cleovis bought Arwilda’s box supper that
she had prepared for a quarter, and Caroline then commented that “one day
Cleovis will be your husband.” And so on July 24, 1939, Cleovis and Arwilda
Whiteside were married. It rained so hard on that day that only his parents,
her family, his best friend Detroit, and the minister, who trudged through the
rain with his horse and buggy, were able to attend. The minister arrived at
11:00 PM to finally marry them at 11:30 PM. The Whitesides have kept their
marriage covenant ever since.
“Congratulations
to Arkansas’ Top Ten Longest Married Couples and a special salute to Cleovis
and Arwilda Whiteside on their amazing 79 year journey,” Ken Yang, Director of Governmental
Affairs of Family Council and the event’s coordinator said. Family Council is
honored to have the opportunity to celebrate couples who exemplify devotion to
God and their marriage covenant. Along with the Whitesides, the Top Ten Longest
Married Couples will be honored at a special reception at the Governor’s
Mansion Friday, March 1st. These are Arkansas’ Top Ten Longest
Married Couples:
- Cleovis and Arwilda Whiteside of White Hall –
79 years, married July 24, 1939
- Cecil and Lois Robertson of Heber Springs – 79
years, married September 8, 1939
- Gussie and James Stephenson of North Little
Rock – 79 years, married December 25, 1939
- Thell and Margie Ellison of Natural Dam – 77
years, married June 24, 1941
- Bill and Freda McClain of Little Rock – 76 years,
married June 20, 1942
- Grady and Wilma Adcock of Hot Springs – 76
years, married July 3, 1942
- JC and Avanelle Merritt of Greenbrier – 76
years, married July 6, 1942
- Cliff and Louis Ganus of Searcy – 75 years,
married May 27, 1943
- Doug and Kathleen Freeman of Sherwood – 74
years, married December 16, 1944
- Earl and Ina Disheroon of Harrison – 73 years,
married May 1, 1945
Stories and pictures of Arkansas’ Longest Married Couples of 2019 will be released on our website the week of the reception.
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