IMAGE: CNS photo/Ed Langlois, Catholic Sentinel
By Ed Langlois
NEWBERG, Ore. (CNS) — A common faith,
thinking as a team, being flexible and arguing candidly but respectfully describe some of the keys to a strong marriage for Claude and Yvette Arrington, named Oregon’s longest married couple by Worldwide
Marriage Encounter.
“We’ve
had a super life,” said Claude, 95.
“We’ve
always had God at the top and we let him decide,” added Yvette, 93.
The
couple was married May 23, 1942, at St. Elizabeth Church in Van Nuys,
California. Claude, who was raised Baptist, became Catholic before the wedding
and says his faith provided a foundation for a good, long marriage.
He was born in Los Angeles, and Yvette was born in a small town near Winnipeg, Manitoba. By 1940, they were both at Van Nuys High School. They met there and married soon after graduating when it became clear
Claude should join the Navy.
During
his 20-month tour, the couple only corresponded with occasional letters.
Yvette,
home with a baby girl, did odd jobs while Claude sent home what money he could.
The household got by but without much to spare.
Claude’s
ship headed to Hiroshima just after the atomic bomb was dropped. He and his
shipmates were about to go ashore into the contaminated zone when orders came
to leave the region. The vessel then picked up emaciated prisoners of war and
survived a typhoon before returning to the United States.
The
couple would have four children — three girls and a boy. Today, they also have eight
grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.
They said they agreed on how to raise
a family before they married.
“We
did a lot of talking to find out our likes and dislikes, religion and
everything else,” Yvette told the Catholic Sentinel, newspaper of the Archdiocese of Portland.
To
help make ends meet for the growing family, Yvette opened a home child care and
eventually worked for the local school district. Claude became a mail carrier,
but cleaned schools in the evenings and a restaurant on weekends. He delivered
the Los Angeles Times early in the morning, including to the home of Liberace,
the piano star.
On
weekends, a relative would come watch the children while Claude and Yvette went
on a date and in later years, they took longer trips. They have been in every
state, plus Belgium and Canada and have been on a few cruises.
Through
it all, they have kept lines of communication open.
“You
have to talk to each other,” Yvette said. “If he doesn’t like
something, he tells me. If I don’t like something, I tell him.”
The
couple came to Oregon 11 years ago to be near their daughter, who drives them to
St. Peter’s Church for Mass each weekend. Yvette belongs to the Catholic
Daughters and has a deep devotion to Mary. “Our Lady has been very good to
us,” she said.
Across the country in Nebraska, two couples — one married for more than 70 years and the other, more than 60 years — can tell similar stories of
faith and perseverance that have seen them through life’s challenges.
William
and Evelyn Schulte, members of St. Wenceslaus Parish in Dodge, Nebraska, relied
on their faith during wartime separation, the death of a son, health issues and
other challenges.
The
Schultes were married Feb. 12, 1946, at Sacred Heart Church in Olean, Nebraska. But
before that, William was away for four years during World War II, including
two years in the Pacific theater.
“I
thought the war would never end,” Evelyn told the Catholic Voice, newspaper of the Archdiocese of Omaha. “But we just trusted
in the Lord and we went on.”
Faith
also was a source of strength for William who said he only missed Mass twice
while he was in the service “and those were for legitimate reasons,”
he said.
Frequent
letters also sustained the couple during the war, many of which Evelyn saved.
“The servicemen really appreciate mail and always liked hearing from home,” she said. “That meant so much to them. You always felt for them because they were sacrificing a lot.”
Separation
because military service also was a challenge for Richard and Barbara McMahon,
members of St. Patrick Parish in Gretna, Nebraska, who have been married more than 60
years.
As
they planned their wedding, Richard’s assignment in the Air Force was going to
prevent him from coming home for their wedding date, so Barbara’s sister, Jane,
who was planning her own wedding, invited them to share a double wedding with
her.
The
couples were married Aug. 18, 1956, at St. Joseph Church in York, Nebraska.
And
they’ve shared their anniversary celebrations every year since. “We
usually have a dinner out,” Barbara said, “and we had a big
celebration for our 50th anniversary with an open house.”
The
Schultes and McMahons shared similar stories of long, productive careers, hard
work and child rearing, with faith always at the center.
After
the war, William Schulte had a 30-year career as a mail carrier while Evelyn
was busy at home raising their four sons and one daughter. They now have nine
grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Over
the years, William and Evelyn have often volunteered in their parish, William
serving at weekday Masses, Evelyn bringing Communion to residents of the local
nursing home.
And
she remains active in their parish, leading the rosary every other Saturday
evening.
Like
most married couples, the Schultes experienced the joys and struggles of
marriage and family life, including health challenges and the death of a son,
regularly turning to the Lord in prayer, she said.
The
McMahons, who raised one daughter and five sons, also experienced the loss of a
child and share a similar commitment to faith and prayer.
“We’ve
always had a strong faith ever since we were young,” said Barbara. “I
don’t know what people would do without it. We pray every day for the strength
to meet the challenges.”
Following
four years in the Air Force, Richard McMahon worked 30 years for Union Pacific,
and Barbara, once their children were raised, spent 27 years managing temporary
employment agencies. They have 13 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
As
the Schultes reflected on more than 70 years together, William said: “Marriage is
just like a beautiful bouquet of roses, beautiful flowers but some stickers.
You just overlook them and you work together.”
“There
are always problems in life and we’ve had a lot of things you don’t expect, but
you just go with it and you pray a lot,” Evelyn added.
– – –
Langlois is editor of the Catholic Sentinel, newspaper of the Archdiocese of Portland. Contributing
to this story was Mike May, senior write at the Catholic Voice, newspaper of the Archdiocese of Omaha, Nebraska.
– – –
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