GOLDEN WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES

On an April 6, an Anderson daughter married on Easter Sunday in 1958. 2008-1958=50, which is the Golden Wedding Anniversary. The Golden bride and groom are young, around the seventy mark. Old Trunks offers congratulations to them and all readers of the blog which will or have celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.


I remember my grandparent's celebration. It was a very pleasant day in June of 1961. Grandpa was 81 and Grandma was 75. But they were 'older' and from a generation where open houses were common with a lovely cake, hoards of people bringing best wishes and congratulations besides cards and gifts.


It was a time when men wore white shirts and ties even to an outdoor celebration and sat in groups in lawn chairs which they brought from home. Their suit coats were hung over the back of the chair, as if they were territorial.


The women wore hats and their hair was colored dark. The makeup was loose powder and caked in creases in their wrinkles. Everyone had a white summer pocket book and white shoes to match. Their short sleeved dresses revealed "wings" from years and years of baking bread and eating well.


And the beloved couple sat at a picnic table and greeted guests who sat down to visit with them. Grandma, being uncomfortable in such a large crowd and not being the hostess dashing around helping others, remained a little tight lipped; Grandpa, on the other hand, belly laughed and slapped his knee.


The newspaper photograph took a picture of them with their cake.



The article read: Mr. and Mrs. Benhard Ranum of 1305 Arnold Avenue North were honored by their children, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Ranum and Mrs. and Mrs. Stan Ranum, at an open house at their home Sunday, June 25, in observance of their golden wedding anniversary.


The center of the serving table was a four-tiered cake, decorated in green and white, trimmed in white and gold bells and with the appropriate gold ornament. It was presented to the couple by their niece and god child, Mrs. Gilford Sannes. She and another niece, Miss Mildred Ostgaard of St. Paul cut the cake. Mrs.Lester Hoaas of East Grand Forks and Mrs. William Grundhaus and Mrs. George Stinar of Warren poured and served coffee.


Grand daughters Judy Ranum and Elodee Ranum along with Mrs. Harry Ranum were in charge of registering the guests. Mrs. Otto Ranum of Warren, assisted in opening the gifts. The Ranum's were presented numerous gifts, cards, and a purse of money by their guests.


I adored my grand parents and being part of the celebration was a big thing for me. I liked seeing all their friends fuss over them. I asked them to stand together so I could take a picture of them.



Someone from the crowd said,
"What are you going to do now, Benhard?
Grandpa answered, "I am going to get myself a spring chicken."
Grandma said, "You do, and you will be dead in a week."


This time grandpa did not slap his leg and laugh, grandma did, holding her hand over her mouth so no one would see her false teeth slip.

If it seems odd not to have Opseth's represented, one needs to know that Julia was the only child of four still living.

Let's hope all golden celebrations are special and filled with memories over decades of time together. Congratulations Dorothy and Larry.

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