A large, loving family gathered in Northwest D.C. Thursday night to celebrate a rare milestone: a 75th wedding anniversary.
Vincent and Clementine Hawkins’ family includes their six children; dozens of grandchildren; great grandchildren; great-great grandchildren; and one, tiny great-great-great grandchild.
Vincent and Clementine both were born in the District, and theirs was a teenage romance. More than one young lady caught the eye of the handsome young man juggling three newspaper routes, but Clementine says she knew he was the one for her.
“He was a hard worker,” she said.
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They settled down to raise a family in a rowhouse on 5th Street NW that they’ve owned since 1958.
Both of his parents worked hard to provide, Tony Hawkins said.
“They taught us to be the best,” he said. “Put forth your best effort. And that has always been one of my mantras to my children. Be the best that you can be.”
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Vincent still looks at his wife like she was that teenage girl who caught his eye along his paper route more than seven decades ago.
“But the thing of it is, she deserves a reward for putting up with me,” Vincent said.
As celebration and joy filled every inch of the Hawkins’ home, Vincent answered the question everyone wants to know: How did their marriage last this long?
“Learn when to shut up,” he said. “It takes two to make an argument. If one shuts up, the other eventually will stop.”
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