Ruth and Augustine Duarte celebrated 50 years of marriage
together on June 5, 2004.
Ruth and Augustine Duarte celebrated 50 years of marriage together on June 5, 2004.
The pair met in San Juan Bautista in the early 1940s. Though they often ran into each other in the small town, Ruth’s strict parent would not allow the two to talk. Ruth and Augustine conversed by passing notes back and forth to one another using her nephew as courier and the pair would only see each other at local dances. During the dances, Ruth was only allowed one dance with Augustine, but it was enough for the two to fall in love. A family friend of Augustine’s parents asked for her hand in marriage to Augustine. They said yes but the two still could not see each other until they were married. Finally the two were married by court, but could not see each other until they were married in church on May 2, 1954, marriage spanning 50 years.
