Tony Pasano knew he was going to marry his future wife, Carmen Correa, even before he met her or saw her face.

Walking into the school registrar's office to register for classes at Mexico City College (now known as the University of the Americas), he saw a young lady walking in front of him.

She had beautiful hair down to her waist, a great figure and fabulous legs. His first reaction was, "Wow! That's the girl I'm going to marry."

Fortunately for Tony, her face was also gorgeous.

However, this was not to be an easy courtship. This was the classic story of the "Princess and the Pauper." Carmen came from a well-connected, political family in Mexico. Her father was governor of the southern Mexicican state of Tabasco and assistant police chief for Mexico City.

Tony was a Korean vet, recently discharged after serving a four-year stint with the U.S. Air Force, in which he enlisted after graduating from St. Monica's High School in Santa Monica, still in college, with no job and living off the G.I. Bill for education.

Needless to say, it was a tumultuous two-year courtship.

However, Tony prevailed over two other suitors who were well established in Mexico City's society. Tony and Carmen were married on April 13, 1958, in the church of the Convento de Churubusco in Mexico City.

After graduating, they moved to Saratoga, Calif., where their three children, Mark, Tania and Armand, were born. They returned to the Los Angeles area, where Tony worked as a real estate appraiser for 22 years in the L.A. County Assessor's Office.

He then became a property tax consultant for several years before starting his own business. He is now retired.

Carmen is an educator and retired after teaching at Montclair Preparatory High School in Van Nuys for 20 years. Her most challenging and rewarding job was raising their three children.

They are now very happy to be involved with their six grandchildren, Natalie, Adrienne, Richard, Anna, Anthony and Gianluca.

Both Tony and Carmen are active in volunteer and community activities. Tony is a member on the Community Police Advisory Board (CPAB) with the LAPD, a lector at Our Lady of Lourdes (OLL) Catholic Church in Northridge and a docent at the Ronald Reagan Library and Museum in Simi Valley.

Carmen is a member of the Kaiser Permanente Advisory Board, is active with the Woman's Council and a lector at OLL.

They were looking forward to a Mediterranean cruise with their family, but had to cancel because Carmen's mother, Juanita, affectionately referred to as "Bisi," who celebrated her 99th birthday on April 14, fell and broke her hip.

They ask all to keep "Bisi" in your prayers.