KINGMAN – They met in early high school years in Hutchinson, Kanas and married right after graduation in 1955 so they are celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary together at White Cliffs Senior Living.
Immediately after the nuptials, the young couple of Duwayne and Joetta Hankins climbed into their 1953 Chevy pickup with a trailer attached and headed to Washington state and never looked back. They left behind a town that has had a consistent population of 36 to 40 thousand all these years.
The draw was a Marine Corp buddy of Duwayne’s who lived in Puyallup, Washington. The couple spent an extended period of time in Western Washington as they grew their family with three offspring. That start has grown into 6 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, the oldest of which has just married. Joetta said she has a good chance of being a great-great-grandmother.
Duwayne worked as a draftsman after his Marine enlistment was completed. With that background, he became a project manager, overseeing jobs throughout the Western Pacific.
Joetta doubled up on her homemaking with a 17-year career working for J. C. Penny stores. She also made sure she had flower gardens wherever the couple lived, and took great delight in harvesting for indoor display. The ‘gray skies’ of Washington generally were left behind in the winter for the sunnier climes of Baja California.
Besides the jaunts to Baja, the pair had fond memories of a 10-day hiking trip in the area of Mount Rainier, especially the single night at the Longmire Lodge to enjoy a hot shower. On the trails, Joetta pointed out they had numerous bear sightings but never really had any close encounters. She and Duwayne commented several times about the beauty of the area but tired of the ‘grayness.’ This prompted a move to Fort Mohave, then Kingman, and now their residence at White Cliffs Senior Living in Kingman.
When asked about secrets to their long-married life, Joetta reported that “It must be love.” However she did say she “shouted a lot”. Duwayne indicated he “ran a lot”. So much for specifics to help couples toward a 70th anniversary like Duwayne and Joetta Hankins.
