Phil Waterford noted the highlight of the evening was when he recognized Richard Pardini, a Stockton resident whom he had the pleasure of meeting and introducing last month at the Healings in Motion awards dinner that honored caregivers. “Mr. Pardini has such an amazing love story, one I’ll never forget,” Waterford said. Richard Pardini recently celebrated over 63 years of marriage to his wife Beverly. He has spent the last 13 years caring for his love mate who developed disabilities from two strokes and no longer remembers him. Despite her deteriorating health conditions and loss of memory, Richard showed up every day to the care facility to be by her side. Richard cherished their memories until her passing earlier this month.

“When I saw Mr. Pardini at the dealership, I just had to introduce him to share his amazing love story.” He is an inspiration and a perfect example of what marriage is all about.

This man cherished his marital vows of promising to be true in good and bad times, in sickness and health, and to love and honor all the days of life til death do us part.

Mr. Pardini shared with everyone in attendance that he met his wife in 1946 in Manteca. As a matter of fact, their first kiss was on Main St., just four blocks north of where the dealership is now located. Mr. Pardini indicated that at the time he was dating a girl who lived in Modesto and had to contact her to break up because he knew he had met the “love of his life”. “I’m not a two-timer so I had to call it quits with my girlfriend in Modesto,” he said. Although his wife is gone in the physical sense, he still enjoys driving down Main St. reliving all the fond memories they shared together.