The Rev. Nobincio "Nobby" Fernandez, who spent more than a decade in charge of St. Philomena and St. Francis churches on the Kalaupapa Peninsula, died Jan. 31 at St. Francis Hospice-West. He was 78.

His connection with Kalaupapa and its patron saint, Father Damien, went beyond geography: A Roman Catholic priest for 43 years, Fernandez himself contracted Hansen's disease, as he discovered while a military chaplain in 1970.

Born in Wahiawa on Sept 28, 1929, his family moved to Kaua'i in 1936. He graduated from Kapa'a High School, and before joining the Air Force, had been engaged.

In Japan during his military service, he felt called to the priesthood; after receiving an early discharge, he joined Sacred Hearts Seminary College. He was ordained here in 1965, then went on to serve at St. George, St. Elizabeth, St. Roch, St. Joseph in Waipahu, St. Anthony on Maui and St. Michael in Waialua.

In 1969, he returned to the Air Force as a chaplain, but retired from military service in 1979. That's when he was named pastor of St. Francis Church in Kalaupapa, where for more than a dozen years he presided at daily Mass, promoting the canonization of Father Damien de Veuster.

He's survived by four brothers, Rudolpho Notebo, Rosendo Fernandez, Lawrence Fernandez and Edward Fernandez; and three sisters, Dionishia Salvador, Adeline del Rosario and Theresita Fernandez.

Visitation will be 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at St. Ann Catholic Church in Kane'ohe, with a Mass. Burial with military honors is 9 a.m. Wednesday at Hawaiian Memorial Park Cemetery.