Like something out of a romance novel, Ed, 80, and Helen Okunak, 81, have been going strong since 1960. The Tysons residents first dated as juniors at Lyndhurst High School in New Jersey. Helen says she got her nerve up to ask Ed to the Sadie Hawkins dance, which was followed by another Sadie Hawkins dance.
“We just became ‘Eddie and Helen’,” she says.
For his part, Ed had legitimate motivation for the relationship. “She was — and is — a beautiful person,” he says. “And we’ve always been compatible.”
Together, the Okunaks built a rich life full of adventure. They married in September 1966, after Ed’s two-year Army stint. Ed designed computer systems for TWA Airlines for more than a decade.
“My claim to fame was seat assignments. I wrote the algorithms to make that work,” Ed says.
The couple, lived in New Jersey, then Kansas City, and Helen worked at accounting offices. While Ed was at TWA, the couple enjoyed the perk of free air travel. They flew to London in 1969 to see the first panda in a zoo outside China, years before Ling-Ling and Hsing Hsing became the stars of Washington, DC’s National Zoo.
In 1980, the adventurous couple picked up and moved to the Washington, DC, area and Ed began a one-year contract with Amtrak.
“We just loved it here,” Helen says.
From there, the couple started their own computer consulting business in McLean. Ed was the technical lead and Helen ran the business side. The company, ECHO Associates Inc., did business in the transportation, hospitality, and banking industries, with about 175 employees.
“We were at the right place at the right time,” Ed says. “It got to the point that we had to start a school so that we could train these people to put them out on contract.”
Ed and Helen worked hand in hand with ECHO Associates for 43 years before closing their company in 2024. Now retired and living in The Trillium Retirement Community in Tysons, the high school sweethearts are closer than ever.
“After 58 years, I think I’m gonna keep him,” Helen says. “Ed is very romantic. He does wonderful things.” Ed buys her flowers and surprises her with her favorite orange cream candy. Helen describes how years ago they were temporarily living in an apartment while their home was being renovated. Ed installed a new flat-screen TV, cooked her Mrs. Paul’ fish sticks, and rented a copy of her favorite movie, Hoosiers.
“And a little bouquet of flowers — I don’t know why, but to me that’s always been the most romantic thing,” Helen says.
“I’ve really been fortunate to have her as my soulmate,” Ed chimes in.
Despite Ed’s stroke three years ago, the couple has barely slowed down. They continue to enjoy their golden years together. Sixty-five years after the Sadie Hawkins dance that changed everything, the lovebirds are more smitten than ever.
“We were very lucky,” says Ed. “We were made for each other.”
Feature image courtesy Ed and Helen Okunak
