Dad got re-married on December 1, 2000 to his girlfriend Vicki Burns. The two had met at the March 1998 annual Chevy Club 50′s dance. This was one I hadn’t attended – but I soon got to meet Vicki as she began coming to some of my Sons of the Desert Meetings. Vicki had come along to the 50′s dance with her brother and sister-in-law Bill and Nancy Coleman. We had known the Colemans for many years as they had been part of the Gem City Classics Chevy Club.
Dad and Vicki decided to handle their living arrangements the honorable and old-fashioned way: by not living together until after the wedding date. So although there was no talk of the marriage and the invitation (which was tailor-made just for us kids) arrived just a few weeks before the wedding date, there was little surprise that they had finally decided to tie the knot.
When I phoned Dad to accept the invitation, I had a surprise of my own to deliver - telling him that my marriage to Lisa had effectively ended and I would be bringing another date named Carolyn to the wedding. The thought of an impending divorce for me made Dad sick, but it wasn’t long before he decided that Carolyn was a-ok.
The wedding was a small and informal ceremony at the Bear Creek Church of the Brethren, where Dad had attended as a child. Pastor Ron Wenzel, who had provided the pre-marital counseling, performed the Friday night ceremony. Carolyn and I brought Ashleigh and Briana along, and of course Denise came with her boyfriend Aaron. Vicki’s daughter Kristi and her husband were there as well.
Pastor Ron delivers the vows
Dad and Vicki celebrate with their children
Kristi, me, and Denise
Each with a brother Bill
Denise and Aaron practice for the altar
I don’t know what Ashleigh and Briana were practicing for
Dad and Vicki followed the wedding with a nice, small reception back at his place in Brookville not far from the church where they served coldcuts and cake (my kind of meal). I remember feeling a bit odd having a date who wasn’t Lisa with me even though by that time we had been together for a month. Mom’s side of the family had met Carolyn at Thanksgiving but this was the first function for her with my Dad’s side.
Debonair at Dad’s wedding
A random pose as Briana and I get our coats after the ceremony
Pretty in pink
Aaron and Denise prepare to depart
Denise, Briana, Carolyn, and I gather around something interesting at the reception
Dad and Vicki cut the cake at the reception back at Dad’s place
Dad feeds Vicki some cake
Vicki responds in kind
Return to the November / December 2000 posting…
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