Patience and love have kept Sesto (85) and Kotie Cappelletto (78) together for 60 years.
They celebrated their 60th anniversary on February 13 with their children and grandchildren.
“My daughter set up some beautifully decorated tables outside, in our garden, and we all just spent the time together.”
A wedding without a cake
Sesto and Kotie met after Sesto came to visit Kotie’s parents farm in Rietfontein, near Rustenburg, with friends.
“I just saw this good looking guy with these black curly hair, and my breath was taken away,” said Kotie.
After almost a year of dating, Kotie’s mother told her father that he should go and dress up nicely as Sesto wanted to ask him something.
“Back in the days, everything was so formal, and the old people were very focused on their appearance,” said Kotie.
“I ask her father if I could marry her, and he replied with ‘Will you look good after my daughter’, and I nodded and said ‘yes’, and he then gave me his blessing,” Sesto said.
The couple then got married in the Roman Catholic Church in Krugersdorp.
“The after party was at my parent’s farm, and then we found out that someone stole our wedding cake, and to date we still don’t know who [stole it].”
60 years together
Sesto, who was born and bred in Italy, moved to South Africa when he was 21 years old.
He worked in the mining industry for seven years before moving over to the construction and civil engineering industry.
He worked as a construction worker and engineer for 47 years before retiring.
After he retired, he opened a construction and civil engineering training centre.
Kotie has always been a housewife who stayed at home to make sure the house and children were looked after.
In her younger days, she worked at the abattoir as a secretary.
Sixty years later, they are parents of two beautiful daughters, grandparents of three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Sesto spend his spare time on the golf course while Kotie loves to paint.
Most of the paintings in their house were painted by her.
Their recipe of love
During their interview with the RECORD, the couple said that they could not remember if they ever went to bed angry.
“This is just not something we believe in. Don’t go to sleep angry,” they said.
Their advice to newly married couples is that they should have patience and to respect each other. “Do not be selfish, and have faith,” said Sesto
Future plans
Together they have travelled the world, so their plans for the future is to spend more quality time with their family and friends.
“Our greatest wish is to grow old together, and to see our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren live their lives. We are also planning on spending more time with each other,” they said.
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