A Fairfield couple who were recently recognized for being married for longer than any other couple in Iowa were honored during RAGBRAI festivities.

Marie Hammes and the late Norbert Hammes were named the King and Queen of Steampunk. They were recently recognized as Iowa’s longest married couple after being married for 78-and-a half years. Event Coordinator Ashley Dunbar said when the couple heard about the steampunk theme, they had some fun with it, “When they found out what our theme was, they dressed up in steampunk and took some pictures. We wanted to create and dedicate that gazeebo to Norbert and Marie Hammes. Their family gave us the blessing for that. It’s just a really cool thing that they could be married that long and that they are here in our community.”

Norbert Hammes passed away earlier this month at the age of 106. The gazebo in downtown Fairfield was dedicated to the couple during RAGBRAI festivities.