Frank and Rosalie Tadda display their “longest married” certificates, Feb. 15, after Mass at St. John the Apostle and Evangelist Church, Mililani. Photo courtesy of Worldwide Marriage Encounter
Frank and Rosalie Tadda, wed more than 66 years ago, were presented with a “Hawaii’s longest married couple” certificate Feb. 15 at the 9 a.m. Mass at St. John the Apostle and Evangelist Church, their parish in Mililani, by pastor Msgr. John Mbinda and members of Worldwide Marriage Encounter, which sponsored the honor.
The state’s “longest married” distinction is given every year around Valentine’s Day and World Marriage Day by the Marriage Encounter movement to a couple nominated for the tribute. The Taddas were the oldest couple nominated this year.
Frank Tadda and Rosalie Kulikowski were married on June 26, 1948, at St. Casimir Parish in Chicago, where both attended grade school and where Frank was an altar boy.
Frank worked in the auto industry and later in real estate.
The couple moved in the 1950s to Anchorage, Alaska, where they lived for 50 years raising dog sled teams. They relocated to Hawaii in 2005 at the request of their youngest daughter. They have eight children, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Frank has been a Knight of Columbus all his adult life and Rosalie has been active with the Catholic Daughters of the Americas. She is a lector at St. John and enjoys gardening.
Fellow parishioners Jose and Mary Elizabeth Alvior nominated the couple for the longest married program. Marriage Encounter in each state honors one couple.
After Mass, the parish held a cake and punch reception for the enduring couple.
Reported by David and Susan Shanahan, Hawaii Executive Couple for Worldwide Marriage Encounter.