What a blessing I received this morning! Two weeks ago Stella McConnell contacted me...her and her husband Bob were married by Dr. Criswell in the Sanctuary on June 7, 1946. This year is their 61st wedding anniversary; and they wanted to visit the church where they were married. They had not been back since their wedding day...until today! They are such a sweet couple. I enjoyed listening to her memories of the double wedding she shared with her sister shortly after their soon-to-be husbands returned from WWII.
You can read more of their story below written for the Dallas news in 1946!
DALLAS EVENING NEWS. SUNDAY. JUNE 9, 1946 --
Sisters Wed In Double Church Rites
In a double ceremony performed Friday evening at the First Baptist
Church, Miss Helen McElmurry became the bride of Almon Henson and her
sister, Miss Stella McElmurry, became the bride of Robert McConnell.
The brides are the daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur McElmurry, 3837
Spence. Mr. Henson is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Henson, Pauls
Valley, Oklahoma and Mr. McConnell is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Roy McConnell, Quincy, Mich.
-Dr. W. A. Criswell officiated at the double ring ceremony and the
wedding music was presented by Mrs. Herman Smith, organist, Maysville, Okla. and Mr. Smith, soloist.
-
Miss Helen McElmurry entered with Edwin Fast, her brother in law,
Bartlesville, Okla. The brides wore identical dresses of white French
brocaded satin fashioned with fitted bodices and long sleeves extending
to points over the hands. The flanges accented with a large bow
complimented the chapel length trains. Their finger-tip length veils of
imported bridal illusion fell from halos of ruffled illusion sprinkled
with pearlized orange blossoms. They carried white Bibles topped with
orchids showered with streamers of stephanotis.
-
Miss Stella McElmurry entered with her brother, Arthur L. McElmurry,
who gave his sisters in marriage. Her maid of honor was Miss Johnnie
Rena Gray, Mineral Wells, and her bridesmaids were Miss Clairene
Stevens, Waco, and Miss Marjorie Sears, Santo, Palo Pinto County. Miss
Helen McElmurrys maid of honor was her sister, Miss Lenora McElmurry,
and her bridesmaids were Mrs. Wesley Mantooth, her aunt, Maysville, and Miss Vera Ballew.
-
Kenneth Sherbahn, South Whitley, Ind., served Mr. Henson as best man,
and his ushers were Joe Maddox, Ardmore, Okla. and Noel Scott. Mr.
McConnells best man was Elmer Coleman, Houston, and ushers were Fred
Harold and Manly Finch, Fort Worth. Candles were lighted by Bettilou
Mantooth, Maysville, and Ted Boyer, Pauls Valley, cousins of the brides.
-
At the reception which followed the ceremony, Mrs. Major Boyer, aunt
of the brides, Pauls Valley, and Miss Valre Hay, presided at the
brides book. At the brides table were Mrs. Sadie Busch, Miss LeVerne
Lamb and Miss Cleva Lee, Dallas; Miss Jackie Tibbs, Mineral Wells, and Miss Velma Dunn, Pauls Valley.
-
Mrs. Henson was graduated from the University of Oklahoma and is a
member of Beta Gamma Sigma and Kappa Delta Pi. Mr. Henson is attending
the University of Oklahoma law school. Following a trip to Colorado, the couple will live in Norman, Okla.
-
Mrs. McConnell attended the University of Oklahoma. After a wedding
trip through the South, Mr. and Mrs. McConnell will reside in Hillsdale, Michigan.
-
Mrs. Roy McConnell, Quincy, Michigan, and Mrs. Charles Henson, Pauls
Valley, Okla., mothers of the bridegrooms, were among the out-of-town guests attending the ceremony.
I brought my camera with me, just in case they didn't bring one. Good thing I did! They did not have one with them, so I took some pictures for them.
May 2, 2007
Contact Meghan Mazzola to reserve them for your wedding in Heritage Chapel or the Sanctuary.
