The Feb. 1 issue of the Hawaii Catholic Herald reported Worldwide Marriage Encounter’s choice of Joseph and Helen Vierra of Waimanalo as Hawaii’s longest married couple for 2013. The Vierras recently celebrated their 75th anniversary and were nominated for the annual Worldwide Marriage Encounter contest.
As it turns out, another Catholic couple in Aiea also is celebrating a longstanding marriage.
Angelino Benji Ronquilio and his wife Eva marked their 77th wedding anniversary last year. They were married in 1935 at St. Elizabeth Church in Aiea — the same church where the Vierras wed in 1937.
Angelino is 98 years old, and Eva is 96. They have four children, 12 grandchildren and numerous great- and great-great-grandchildren.
Ronald Ronquilio, the couple’s son, called the Hawaii Catholic Herald to tell the newspaper about his parents’ marriage milestone. He said Angelino and Eva continue to be active and enjoy doing various things together, including traveling to Las Vegas. They go to St. Elizabeth Church in Aiea or Our Lady of Good Counsel Church in Pearl City for Mass when the circumstances allow. The couple also prays every night in Portuguese.