Marriage #1
Frank and I were married Sept. 23, 1950 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Scranton, PA. I was 18 yrs old and he was 24. He and his mother never let me forget it. Even though I was as mature as I am now, it was as though he was married to his mother and I was just tagging along for the ride. I did not want to burden my mom with the expense of renting a hall, so we had the reception in her home. Frank’s dad was a peach of a guy and loved me from the start. On my wedding day he told me he finally got the daughter he always wanted. I loved him. Frank’s mom was another story. I always felt that she did not like me and she interfered in everything we did. So on my wedding day, I spent the reception going up and down the stairs because she had all the gifts displayed in one of the bedrooms and insisted that my job was to take each and every guest up there to view the gifts. That is what I remember about my first wedding - going up and down all night long. Oh yes, I do remember cutting the cake. I had 3 bridesmaids and 3 groomsmen and wore a white lace gown with veil. Janet Sullivan Shafer, my best friend in high school, was one of the bridesmaids and the only one still alive today. We talk regularly. She lives in PA. While kneeling with Frank at the altar at the ceremony, I turned to the side and looked down and noticed Frank had on red socks with his formal attire. That was my first sign of danger ahead. We left that night for our honeymoon to the Pocono Mountains. I had planned to meet my dad a the designated spot to say good-bye and we did as he did not want to come to my mom’s house. He was in the back of the church for the wedding and my heart hurt because of the situation between him and mom. I loved them both so much! There I was married at 18, the first one of all my friends. I was the one who was going to NYC to get a job dancing, never had any thoughts of marriage - damn,Tommy Portanova! and his ring!
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