Weddings, proms, even special birthdays call for an extra touch of class – and nothing says "class" like a stretch limo at the curb.

Fred Aguirre and his wife, Carol, operate Sequim Livery to offer that touch for special occasions in Sequim. With leather seating for up to six people, mood lighting and your choice of music, the limo is more than just a way to get from point A to point B.

The Aguirres are available for transportation to parties, to Sea-Tac Airport or even a wine tour around the peninsula.

The Lincoln stretch limo is just another step in the Aguirres’ long driving career. Fred Aguirre had a childhood dream of driving a train.

"I wanted to be an engineer," he said, but by the time he decided to pursue it, he was too old. Instead, he went into big-rig trucking, hauling heavy equipment and driving moving vans.

The heavy work of loading and unloading moving vans took its toll, and his doctor treated injury after injury.

Finally, Aguirre said, "He retired me."

The couple had lived in their truck for years and didn’t know what they would do. But for the previous couple of years, Fred’s childhood friend Doug Cronin pestered Fred to move to Gardiner as caretaker of Cronin’s home and property there.

Then Cronin called with a new offer. He had found a good buy on a limo and wanted Aguirre to operate a limo service in Sequim for him. Cronin knew Aguirre could drive and eventually admitted that he already had bought the limo.

The Aguirres agreed to try it.

"We had asked God to provide us with a little retirement home, a nice little community, no traffic," Aguirre said.

They arrived in Gardiner and found just what they had imagined.

"It’s been so fantastic," Fred said. "We fell in love with the area."

Both Fred and Carol Aguirre have Class A chauffeur licenses so they work together at Sequim Livery. They’ve joined the Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce.

"The chamber has been a big help," Aguirre said. Reggie’s Limousine in Port Angeles also helped with the special requirement to operate at Sea-Tac Airport.

The Aguirres can be reached at 775-8089 or by e-mail at sequimlivery@yahoo.com.

Reach Sandra Frykholm at sfrykholm@sequim

gazette.com.