On August 16, 1942, Ruth Ludgewait of Naugatuck, CT and Stanley Rockman of Westbury exchanged wedding vows before a group of family and friends during a small church ceremony. Now, six decades later, the Rockmans are celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary.

The Rockmans met when she was 19 and he was 22. "We had mutual friends that went to the same seminary in Rhode Island," she said. "We met through them down at Jones Beach." They began dating shortly after.

Over the course of the next three years, Mr. Rockman would make trips back and forth from Westbury and Connecticut. Although his job as an aircraft builder at Republic Airport in Farmingdale during the late 1930s managed to save him from being drafted, World War II was making it more and more difficult for him to make the trips as often as he would have liked.

"We dated for three years, but did not see each other often," said Mrs. Rockman. "There was gas rationing." So they decided to get married.

Following a honeymoon in the Catskills because "gas was rationed" the newlyweds moved into the Westbury home owned by Stanley Rockman's parents. About two years later, they bought a home a block away and have lived there ever since.

Prior to retiring in 1980, Mr. Rockman worked for 40 years building aircraft at Republic Airport. Up until recently, he was involved with the Westbury Seniors and the Central Westbury Civic Association and was also an avid boater and fisher and had a passion for golf. Mrs. Rockman served as Sunday School superintendent for the Hempstead Assembly of God for over 40 years. Prior to getting married, she worked at the Naugatuck National Bank.

"Growing up, we really were a typical family," said the Rockmans' eldest child, Brenda Kennedy of Mineola. "We went to church every Sunday. We ate dinner at 5 p.m. every night. Looking back now, it was really almost the ideal situation. We lived normal, everyday lives at that point in time."

Kennedy, who is impressed that her parents have made it through such a major milestone in their lives, added, "It's amazing. They disagreed, they argued, but there was no violence, no one walked out. They always honored their vows and got through ... So many of my friends have described my parents as 'cute.' Yet they are your everyday, salt of the earth people. Their marriage has been a solid grain of salt."

According to Mrs. Rockman, the key to a long and happy marriage is "a lot of patience and the grace of God." To young couples looking to get married, she added, "Don't give up easily, have the same interests and keep God in your marriage."

In addition to Kennedy, the Rockman's have a daughter, Nadine Albert of Melville and son, Ronald Rockman of Michigan as well as a granddaughter, Jennifer Kennedy Orlando.

To celebrate their 60 years together, the Rockman's will have a family dinner at the Milleridge Inn.