50 Years of Mutual Love and Respect Shared With Families and the Community

We seldom hear of couples celebrating their golden wedding anniversaries. However, one lucky couple have reached this milestone filled with mutual love and respect that they shared with families and the community.

The past 50 years have been filled with love and care for Jimmy Adaoag and Kathy Aguda.

Married in 1972, the couple were both born and raised in Ilocos Norte but they didn’t meet each other until a mutual friend introduced them to each other. Jimmy was born in Bacarra, Ilocos Norte on Jan. 3, 1947. That same year, Kathy was born in Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte on Jan. 7th.

After graduating with a degree in Education in 1968 and teaching for a few months, Jimmy enlisted with the Philippine Army as second Lieutenant.

On the other hand in 1971, Kathy was one semester short from graduating with a degree in Home Economics when she moved to Hawaii.

While attending an orientation event at the Cultural Foundation of Hawaii in February of that year, Kathy met Mrs. Rosario Laciste who told her about a relative in Bacarra who is “handsome mabait and bagay sa iyo.”

Thrilled with the sound of a prospective partner who is handsome, kind and perfect for her, Kathy received her first letter from Jimmy, Mrs. Laciste’s daughter’s brother-in-law.

After the first love letter in July 1971, the two love birds became pen-friends as they sent more letters to each other across the Pacific.

While currently enrolled in Fashion Design at the University of Hawaii, Kathy flew back to the Philippines to attend an after-Christmas town fiesta in Pasuquin where she finally met Jimmy who later proposed to her.

The following year, the newly engaged couple got married in Batac, Ilocos Norte with a reception at Jimmy’s hometown of Bacarra.

Sadly, Kathy had to fly back to Hawaii where she was later joined by Jimmy several months later.

The couple first lived with Kathy’s family in Kukui Gardens in Liliha before moving out to rent their own room in Malio Street.

In 1974, the Adaoags purchased their first house in Kaneohe. The following year, Jimmy was promoted as a bellman at the old Kahala Hilton Hotel.

The couple’s journey in Hawaii was just beginning. In the following years, Jimmy and Kathy became business owners, property owners and even ballroom dancing champions.

In 1980, they bought a house in Waipahu which inspired them to venture into real estate.

That same year, Kathy opened Jaen Fashions, a business that allowed her to travel back and forth to the Philippines twice a year. Three years later, she established her own named fashion line called Kathy Adaoag’s Fashion.

They eventually acquired a commercial property in Kalihi which housed their business and other renters including Leo’s Dance Studio.

While building their seven-room residential property in Salt Lake, Jimmy and Kathy enrolled their first lessons in ballroom dancing in 1987.

The two love birds became ballroom dancing aficionados. They even competed and won the 1991 California Star Ball in Los Angeles, California.

From pen-pals, real estate and business owners to ballroom dancing champions, Jimmy and Kathy have been prospering in their relationship for the past 50 years.

To celebrate their golden wedding anniversary, they held a party last January 23 at the Koolau Grand Ballroom in Kaneohe.

With family, friends and loved ones, the party celebration was filled with love and friendship with a touch of charity and affluenza. Their life together was inspired by love for their friends, relatives and community.

“It’s not been an easy road for us but with love and mutual respect for each other, our marriage has survived,” said Jimmy and Kathy.

“We are going to be together forever. And knowing that we have each other, it makes life worth living.”