Hackensack Couple Celebrates 75 Years Of Marriage

HACKENSACK, NJ — It was a day of celebration. Nestor and Carmen Cardenas, lovingly called "Papito and Mamita," recently celebrated 75 years of true love surrounded by family at CareOne Wellington in Hackensack.

The couple met in their home country of Peru in a town called Choscia. They attended school together and married on Jan. 17, 1943.

Nestor served in the Peruvian military for several years while Carmen stayed home to raise their six children: Graciela, Marisa, Liliana, Luis, Silvia and Eduardo.

The couple worked very hard to help give their family a new start and eventually moved to America in the 1970s. They settled in a home in Brooklyn, New York where their children grew up.

They eventually moved over to Bergenfield where they would host family gatherings and a huge Christmas Eve celebration yearly. They both moved over to the nursing home in Hackensack a few years ago where they share a room together.

The loving couple now has 20 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. During the celebration, the family also celebrated Carmen's 92nd birthday on Jan. 14 and Nestor will be celebrating his 104th birthday on March 4.

The family wishes them many more years of happiness and credits them for instilling the strong and loving family ties that continues through each generation.

— Disclaimer: The family members in this article are related to the writer Alexis Tarrazi and are her grandparents.

(Images via Marisa Cardenas)

Photo 1 - Nestor and Carmen Cardenas with their children Eduardo, Luis, Liliana, Marisa, Silvia and Graciela.

Photo 2 - Nestor and Carmen with their 75th wedding anniversary cake.

Photo 3 - Nestor and Carmen with their grandchildren.

Photo 4 - Their wedding anniversary cake with Nestor and Carmen's wedding photo from 1943.

Have a news tip? Email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com.

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