Here are the essays submitted for the 12 finalists in the Hawai'i's Most Romantic Men Contest.

Randy Boucher
Nominated by his wife, Marlene

This beautiful man just blew my socks off on Valentine's Day last year when he arrived here at work, a hospital, with his arms full of roses and singing a love song he composed. Now, when the staff sees him coming with flowers they ask, "Are you singing today?"
For a sailor who has spent his life on the high seas, his showers of affection are boundless. He often leaves little love notes in my lunches, brings me my morning coffee and massages my feet when I'm tired. Many evenings I'll come home to a delicious-smelling dinner, candles lit throughout the house and a glass of wine waiting.
Rod's romantic nature spills over to family and friends. Each member of my Hawai'i tennis team was given a rose before going onto the courts and playing for the National Championships. When my mother comes to visit he always gives her a hug goodnight, often leaving a flower or petals on her pillow, and delights her with his compliments. One special day she had both a smile and a tear when he exclaimed, "God, I love your daughter!"
Everyone has a marriage proposal story to share. It was during Rod's retirement ceremony from the Navy on board the battleship Missouri. In front of his entire command he stops in the middle of his speech and says, "Folks I am about to do something I have never done before in my life."
He then walks up to me, kneels down on one knee, takes my hand and asks me to marry him. I am speechless and his wonderful sense of humor comes to the rescue when he tells me, "Ah, honey, a response is required here."
His philosophy of "Live, Life, Large" has given me a life full of romance, laughter and excitement. God, I love this man!

Ralph Brandt
Nominated by his wife, Robbie Brandt

I met Ralph in the church choir when he was 70. Two weeks after, we began seeing each other my former college roommate came to visit, and I took her to the outer islands.
Ralph met us at baggage claim on our return, wearing a chauffeur's hat and holding a sign saying "Beautiful Southern Women."
That was my first clue to the personality of this funny and creative guy who writes scripts for the Barbershoppers. At the end of our first year he presented me with a scrapbook full of ticket stubs, greeting cards, pictures, theater programs, the entire story of everywhere we had been and everything we had done.
After a sunset wedding in Kona, our honeymoon consisted of a trip to the International SPEBQSA (Barbershop) Convention in Nashville, his idea, followed by a week of rafting the Salmon River in Idaho, my idea. He can't swim.
Two years later he took me rafting through the Grand Canyon because he knew that was a dream I'd given up. (And I am now a bigger barbershop quartet fan than he is.)
Every Friday he sits down with TGIF and highlights activities for the week. We walk the two miles to the Halekulani for a sunset mai tai so often they know us.
As my Christmas present one year he went with me to my favorite shop, sat in a chair, and commented as I tried on everything in the store, helping me choose. At the end of each of our six years, I've gotten another scrapbook.
This is romance!

Dean Brennan
Nominated by his wife, Madeleine Brennan

My husband is the most romantic man I know, but not in the sense of a husband who sends love notes, candy, or hosts romantic candlelight dinners. But he has given me gifts more precious than material objects.
When our son was 17 years old, and my husband was looking forward to the "empty nest," I came to him with a heartfelt request. I wanted to adopt a baby. This was the furthest thing from his mind!
I know that he was stunned, as this was not in his plans for our future. His response then was, "If it will make you happy, this is my goal in life."
We went to China and adopted a little girl from the Hunan Province. Today she is 9 years old and a most precious gift. But more: We have been to China three more times, and today we have four adopted children from China, ages 9, 7, 5 and 2.
All have special needs, including two who have albinism and are legally blind. It's hard to find the words to thank my husband for being the loving and dedicated husband and dad he is to our family. It is with pure unselfishness and total denial of his vision of our "golden years" that he has given me more than I could ever imagine.
As we hold hands, with our four children in tow, I walk past the jewelry store, glance in the window at the gold and sparkling gems, then glance back at our sweet, precious children, and feel that I am the luckiest person in the world. It is not gold, nor diamonds, nor long-stemmed roses that proclaim my husband's love for me; it is the way he hugs our children, or shares an ice cream cone with them, the way he plays with them at the beach — those visions are my treasure.

Jim Campbell
Nominated by his wife, Terri Lee

The most romantic man I know:
I truly am married to the most romantic man a woman could ever dream of having in her life. He rides his bicycle to my workplace so that he can ride home with me at the end of the day. He opens the car door for me and is a gentleman at all times. Sunsets and champagne picnics are always a date. He surprised me with a singing Valentine at work. A barbershop quartet serenaded me with "Heart of My Hearts."
But one of my many memories deserves recognition. It was our 10th wedding anniversary and the symbol for that anniversary is tin or aluminum. Our last name is Campbell (like the soup). So he bought a can of Campbell's tomato soup and carefully removed the label. He then cut a small opening in the side of the can and emptied out the soup. Then he wrapped a diamond ring with 10 diamonds on it and slipped it into the can along with a love letter (written on balloon-covered stationery) telling me how he felt about the 10 years of our marriage.
He replaced the label and placed a bow on top of the can. When he presented me with a "tin" can of Campbell's soup I looked at it and shook it and then realized that I needed a can opener to get inside ... very clever, don't you think? It was beautiful!
This is only one of the many surprises that I've gotten from this wonderful, sensitive and very handsome man. Lucky me, and guess what, ladies? He loves to dance!
I love you, Jim.

Christopher Deringer
Nominated by his mother-in-law, Renee Silva

Is he tender, passionate, endearing and attentive? These adjectives don't even begin to describe my son-in-law, Chris. My daughter, Brilana, met Chris on the Internet four years ago.
His reply to "You met her on the Internet?" always is "Best $5 I ever spent in my life."
They were married overlooking the ocean two years ago. When he was courting her it was things like sending a "singing gorilla" to her dorm room, on Valentine's Day, even though they were thousands of miles apart. Flowers to me on Mother's Day — that really locked him into our 'ohana.
While he was serving in Iraq, he planned, on his return, the most romantic proposal to her. He arranged with a florist and Aloha Airlines personnel, upon his arrival, to have hundreds of long-stemmed roses given out by each passenger and the crew to her, as she waited to greet him at the airport.
On bended knee he asked for her hand, and the fairytale is always being added to.
He hired a videographer to record the event and a stretch Hummer to bring them to a secluded hideaway with rose petals scattered everywhere.
Her Christmas present was a beautifully wrapped box with a bowl full of sugar. You guessed it — tickets to the Sugar Bowl.
He's not only the most romantic guy I've ever met, but he also remembers all special occasions, is super considerate and has this cute smile like, "What can I think of next to surprise her?"

Jicky Ferrer
Nominated by his wife, Marla Ferrer

Hands down my husband is the "Most Romantic Man."
One of our early dates he invited me for a picnic lunch and drive around the island. He said it would be a day full of surprises. Being a malihini, I never really explored the island. Our day began with him picking me up in a '72 Corvette convertible he had rented. He had packed a picnic basket complete with red-checkered tablecloth, pate, cheese, crackers and beverages. We had the picnic on a North Shore beach and drove around the island where he talked about points of interest and island history.
As we made our way back into town, he exclaimed that he wanted me to partake in some fine island cuisine. Was it a five-star restaurant? Why yes, it was Rainbow Drive-Inn, where he picked up two plate lunches: teri-chicken, mac salad and rice!
We drove to Kaimana Beach, where we dined on our plate lunches and enjoyed a beautiful sunset.
"One last surprise," he said as we pulled out of the parking lot. He took the car around Kapi'olani Park and pulled into the Waikiki Shell parking lot. To my surprise a car pulled out in front of the entrance of the Shell and Jicky pulled right in. His surprise was two tickets to the Crosby, Stills & Nash concert. A full moon rose over the Shell — he planned that too!
After the concert, he whispered into my ear, "Tonight I'm going to give you something you've never had before."
What was that, I asked.
"A Multiple Orgasm," he replied.
Before I had a chance to slap him, we pulled up to Bubbies Ice Cream parlor where he bought me their dessert, the "Multiple Orgasm."
The best dessert, date and husband I could ever ask for.

John Kerr
Nominated by his wife, Marcia

After 38 years of marriage it isn't the big gestures of romance, but the small everyday gestures that keep our marriage strong.
Not that the big gestures aren't appreciated! It's him kissing me goodbye every morning then calling when he gets to work to let me know he arrived safely and kissing me goodnight every night.
It's getting ready to leave for my day and seeing he's made me a lunch to take along, so I'll eat.
It's also him knowing what makes me happy, like bringing both our children and granddaughter over for my 50th birthday. He arranged a day at the "sand bar" with friends, my kind of day. He bought me a gardenia lei, my favorite flower and took us to the Hau Tree restaurant for dinner, another favorite.
On our 35th wedding anniversary we went to Mexico to celebrate, my favorite vacation spot. This time he arranged an in-room massage for me and then out to my favorite dining spot and back to a candlelit bath ... unfortunately for him, the massage did me in (it was two hours of heaven) ... and nothing was "happening" that night. He just laughed and kissed me. Now that's love!
This fall he encouraged me to take a week for myself with my girlfriends, because he knew I was exhausted from work. A week of relaxing and dinner out every night worked wonders for my spirit. He stayed home and worked.
He shows me in small and big ways that he values me and our relationship. I am blessed to be married to a man who knows how to make me feel loved, and he still likes to "peek at me coming out of the shower." Now that's romantic.

Bob Lamb
Nominated by his wife, Sami.

I don't know if I can express in words how my sweetheart of 52 years is the most romantic man, in Hawai'i, but also in the world!
The day after our first date, he told me he was going to marry me! Each day for three months he proposed marriage. I insisted I was "too young." Getting down on one knee with a tear glistening on his cheek, he said, "Then we will have a wonderful long life together," holding out a small diamond ring.
I could no longer resist.
For 52 years he's been not just romantic but wildly romantic ... waking me up at the crack of dawn to whisper, "Come out before sunrise and see the dew on the spiderweb I've found ... it's fantastic!" He's taken me on moonlit walks, saved for cruises to the Mediterranean, Caribbean and more.
Daily romancing me, like kissing my fingertips, telling me my skin feels "like velvet chocolate pudding." And, "Of course, your hair looks OK as long as it's near that gorgeous face of yours" and "I love your laugh!"
While in intensive care after a near-fatal heart attack, he was asked how they could help. He said, "Bring me my beautiful wife!"
He's always complementary, and totally in love with me. No one who's ever seen or met us has doubted that. He never lost his passion or tenderness and has given me two wonderful children, as well.
The 30th anniversary of our first date we almost died together in a near-fatal accident. I have just two wishes: that every woman can just once feel as I've felt for 52 years, and that if he dies first, one second later; I will as well.

Ken McFarland
Nominated by his wife, Melanie Howard

I want to take this opportunity to thank my husband.
Thank you, Ken, for the 702 love letters that I have received over the past 13 1/2 years that we have been together (one letter per week!).
Ken puts them in chronological order every year, tying them with a lavender bow. As busy as we are with our Brady Bunch family life (six kids between us) and his full-time job, he manages to never miss a letter.
His romantic side does not end with his letter writing. He also started the tradition that we must revisit the same pizza parlor every year on July 13th, our first date. It was his idea that we sit in the same booth and order the same pizza and beer and we haven't missed a July 13th yet.
He also has saved every champagne bottle label and has an album where he lists the occasion in which we have celebrated something special in our lives together — so far, it's 51 labels and counting.
That's the romantic part of this very special man. The everyday life is just as special. He makes me coffee and brings the newspaper every morning since we have been together. He also does most of the cooking, cleaning, laundry, handyman needs, etc.
A very special thing that I love about Ken is the fact that he loved our family enough to allow us to have a weiner dog these past 11 years, even though he is allergic to dogs. I believe my husband is the most tender, caring, passionate, endearing, attentive and romantic loving man in the world and I'm blessed to have his love.
It would be nice to have one more special champagne label that's all his own: "Most Romantic Guy" winner.
Thanks to my love forever!

Leovigildo Ramirez Sr.
Nominated by his son, Gil

"Life is beautiful" is a thought I feel whenever I think of this man. His gestures of love go far above and beyond the average typical "romantic guy." His life revolves around his loved ones' happiness and never ceases to let them down.
How can a man like this exist? Well, one special man does exist, here in Hawai'i, and that person is my father.
My father is what many women want. He listens and he cares. What? A man actually does that? Seriously, he does.
He keeps a keen ear, holds a patient heart, and tries to make my mother happy for every day of her life.
Every morning, he cooks my mother breakfast, drives her to wherever she needs to go, does the laundry, washes the dishes, cleans the bathroom, prepares meals when my mother returns home from work, and even places roses (from his very own flower garden) around the home for my mother to enjoy.
Also at nights, he serenades her while strumming his 'ukulele after preparing dinner.
He smiles, jokes, and never raises his voice in anger, but only in song.
Besides loving my mother, my father takes care of my adult sister who has special needs. Daily, I always see him cooking her meals, preparing her clothes, singing songs with her, bringing her on outings to the park, picking flowers with her, going to church with her, and making sure that she is loving life. My sister's smile and laughter is an example of my father's love and endless effort to make our family happy. I can never thank my father enough for the love he gave to make our life beautiful. All I know is that "Dad knows best!" and is the real "Romantic Man" of Hawai'i.
Love,
Thankful Son

Doc Simpson
Nominated by his wife, Debbie Simpson

A few reasons why he's the most romantic man:
1. One Valentine's Day, he woke me up at midnight and had a brown bag for every hour (24 bags to open) with gifts ranging from small to large and from expensive to inexpensive with a poem for each gift.
2. Another, he came to my work in Army uniform on bended knee and gave me roses, candy and a Valentine card and poem.
3. Another Valentine's Day: He made a bottle to look old and typed a poem and had a total stranger say that he found it on the beach and the poem said if he found a blonde named Deborah, to please give it to her. He put so much work into that one.
4. One anniversary: He bought huge oyster shells and put cotton on them and bought me black pearl earrings and gave them to the waiter to have it served as dessert.
5. When he was away for a week, he sent me a bouquet of flowers every day and by the end of the week you could not see my desk.
6. Every night he gives me a back rub for me to fall asleep.
7. He will show up unexpectedly at my work and give me flowers out of the clear blue.
8. He is the most considerate, patient and loving man I have ever met, but most of all he is the love of my life and my best friend.
9. When we were courting, he should have bought stock in the local florist. I received flowers and candy and gifts for any special holiday or no holiday at all. The ladies I worked with were so jealous that when I left for a new job, he sent each one a long-stemmed rose and wrote a note of thanks for them supporting me.

Andrew Yoza
Nominated by his wife, Marilyn

I'm entering my husband Andrew Yoza in the most-romantic-man contest for all those silent men who are romantic in their own way, who love deeply and forever. The men who show their love by the way they live, and the love they give to their families in my countless ways. They are the true romantics.
Romantic is a rose on the first date.
Romantic is respecting your desire to wait.
Romantic is being carried over the threshold of each house.
Romantic is still getting butterflies in your stomach when you think of him.
Romantic is being held at 2 a.m. when you've just gotten a call that your child is being rushed back to intensive care.
Romantic is the tears in his eyes when your first child is born.
Romantic is bringing in goodies fresh from the oven for your workplace.
Romantic is him taking you to Ala Moana and missing his favorite TV show.
Romantic is the worry in his eyes when you are going for cancer surgery.
Romantic is saving the last piece of candy for you.
Romantic is knowing you are loved always.
Romantic is getting tears in your eyes writing this.
This is my husband who I have loved dearly for over 25 years, who has never raised his voice in anger and who has loved all of us unconditionally.