Dean-Hey Heritage

Mom Paints the Trellis

Sprucing Up
for the Home Wedding
July, 1951

Mom Paints the Trellis

Married at Home

Mom & Dad Get Married
July 21, 1951

Dad arrived in Sterling on Tuesday, July 17. Aunt Mildred and Aunt Pauleen (Dad's sisters) came with him. Boots (Dad's sister) and Quannah arrived the day before the wedding. Since he did not have any friends coming from Texas, my brother Phil agreed to be his "best man." Thursday we went to Naperville so he could meet Phil. We met my parents that evening at the Pines for supper. I could tell something was wrong since Dad did not order and went out and lay down under a tree. That night Gram heard him yell and found him sitting up in bed clutching his chest. Dr. Pohly came and ordered a chest x-ray at the hospital Friday morning. When the x-ray was read (double pneumonia and pleurisy), he advised my parents against the marriage since he did not know that Dad would survive. Of course, there was no rehearsal on Friday evening, but since the dinner was paid for, everyone went except the groom. Mother's friend, who was a nurse, stayed with Dad. Saturday, July 21, it was raining. At 9:00 a.m., my parents told us we had 30 minutes to decide whether to go ahead with the wedding or postpone it. They left us alone to decide. Since the U.S. Navy (Korean War era) had already forced us to change the wedding date three times, Dad said he had a feeling if we didn't marry as planned, we probably never would. We decided to go ahead, even though Dad had to marry in pajamas and a bathrobe.

Married in Pajamas

In three hours, Phil and the ushers moved furniture to the neighbor's front porch and brought in folding chairs for a few relatives and family friends. Mother finished setting up the dining room for the reception. Phil went to bring Grandma Holtzman to the house for the wedding. Dr. Pohly insisted the wedding be moved up to one o'clock instead of four and that we be seated during the service. He was also concerned about Grandpa Hey who had survived a near-fatal heart attack just eight months before. Dad met me at the bottom of our stairs while your Dad came down the back way and was seated in our "wedding chairs." After the service we cut the wedding cake and Dad went back upstairs to rest, while a friend went to the church to inform guests of the situation and that they could go to the house for the reception right away. It was almost four weeks before Dr. Pohly felt it was advisable for us to leave for Texas.

Married in Pajamas

Wedding Party: Phil Hey (Best Man), Jeanette Over, Sue Hey (Maid of Honor), Karl Over, Bob Twardock

(Mom), Aunt Margaret, Aunt Vinnie,
Uncle Clement, Uncle Henry, (Gram)

Grandma Hey, Mom, Grandpa Hey

Marriage Certificate

Grandma Holtzman, Donalyn Rees

The girl with Grandma is Donalyn Rees, a friend from college days. She was one of the three girls who went to Texas for spring break with Sandra and Sue. For her date Donalyn had picked Elbert Dean out of the Merkel yearbook. The date Sandra picked for me had thought it wasn't till Sunday night, so at the last minute Sandra decided I should go with Elbert, and she found another date for Donalyn with the understanding that she could date Elbert the next night. Well, the Lord had other plans for us for which I am eternally grateful. Dad and I had sixty wonderful years of life together.

Marriage Announcement