June 30, 1924: Robert M. Tompkins (age 26) and Catherine Cora O'Connell (age 27) were married at St. George's Church in Glencoe, Minnesota. Stella O'Connell Dolan, her sister, was her matron of honor. I can't remember who the best man was. Mom wore Aunt Stella's wedding gown, veil, and shoes. We kept the little satin shoes in the attic for years afterward and marveled that my mother could get her feet into them. Aunt Stella had a little foot and my mother didn't; she said she was in agony all day but it was worth it! They had a one or two inch spool heel and a strap fastened by a satin button across the instep. I don't know what became of the dress and veil.
It was a lovely marriage. They were best friends until the end. Mom was sad that they didn't reach their fifty-year anniversary; he died in 1973 and she died in 1975. She also felt Dad had cheated her and was quite peevish about it -- she said that since she was a year older, she was supposed to go first. What in the world was he thinking of?
Happy Anniversary, Grandma and Grandpa. That's 82 years. What to give?
Oh, about being best friends. Absolutely. I never heard an angry word from either of them toward the other. Quite a contrast from the bickering of my other grandparents although I genuinely think that was their different terms of endearment.
I thought that their anniversary was today . Wasn't sure of the year though.
I just came from a wedding reception of friends. They were married in their apartment with just immediate family present and a reception afterwards fora few close friends. Very informal as both wore jeans and t-shirts. I of course dressed up. Who knew?
Happy Anniversary Grandma and Grandpa. No recollections of either of them, but all of the things I've heard about them makes me wish I had known them.
That's something about her wearing shoes that didn't fit, but they looked good. That must be where I got that characteristic from.
Okay, Janine, you triggered another memory of my mother regarding shoes. Every summer, my grandfather took his children to the big city to buy shoes. They went by the early morning train and came home in the afternoon or evening. It probably was a two hour trip, but maybe a train did it in an hour.
The object was to buy two pairs of shoes per child to wear for the coming twelve months: one pair for church and one pair for school. They had to be several sizes too large in order to accommodate any growth over the next year, so there probably was only a short period when the shoes had any comfort -- either they were too big in the beginning or they were too small at the end.
When the weather was good, they walked to school barefoot, carrying their shoes over their shoulders in order to prevent wear and tear; just before they reached the schoolhouse, they would stop and put them on.
Always fun to read your "history lessons". Do you still have the shoes? If so you should take a picture of them. Ashley would love to see them! Carol
No, I don't have them. Check with your Mom. She was there when the attic was being cleared out and might remember if they were even still there, and what happened to them if they were. I'm glad you like the history lessons, Carol. I wonder if you have you heard any of them before? Maybe your Mom has told you some I haven't heard and you could post them for everyone. I bet that would be a fun thing to do.