For their wedding, Patricia and Patrick Smith received a crystal goblet from Evie and Abbie Boehmen.
It was gift for the high school sweethearts who married in Everett on Sept. 17, 1955, then toasted at a reception in the Monte Cristo Hotel ballroom.
I was honored to peek at their wedding book. After Patricia Smith died in October, the book landed at Everett Gospel Mission in a box of donations.
Nice ladies sorting through the donated goods took “Our Wedding Memories” to Charlotte McCoy, the receptionist for two Catholic churches in Everett.
“The book shows they were married at Immaculate Conception Church, one of the churches I work for,” McCoy said. “The couple joined in matrimony were Patricia Louise Treichler and Patrick Leonard Smith.”
McCoy and volunteers at the mission figured someone would want the book back. Could I help?
Of course I would. But first I took a snoopy stroll down memory lane inside the pages of the beige book.
Her first wedding shower was Sept. 9, 1955, given by Jackie Hayes and Joanie Gans, her soon-to-be sisters in law.
“A delightful miscellaneous shower in my behalf,” Smith wrote. “Sixteen friends and family were invited. We played bridal games and spent the evening informally.”
She received a kitchen clock, towels, bath mat, kitchen utensils and dish clothes. They ate angel food cake with whipping cream and peach topping.
“Coffee was served. All in all we had a real nice chat.”
Members of the wedding party included Mary and Sandra Brand, Jackie Hayes, Bertha Kjelstad Triplett, Joanie Ludwig, Darlene Johnson and Alisa Mae Gans. The best man was Lawrence Smith, and the ushers were Gerry Treichler, Tom Clark, Mark Ludwig and Paul Noe.
Guests at the wedding included Lois Broeker, Thomas Clement, Bonnie Wallgran, Mrs. C. Hiskey, Mr and Mrs. Tom Borgford, Anne and Charlie Neville and Nancy Noe.
Favored wedding gifts haven’t changed much through the decades. The couple received place settings, an electric coffee pot, sherbet glasses, pillows, a comforter, blankets, a clock, a butter plate, salt and pepper shakers and an orange and black towel set.
Does anyone still give one other 1955 gift — a silver nut dish?
“My trousseau consisted of a lovely light pink negligee and pink satin slippers bought by Alice,” Smith wrote. “We went to Seattle and shopped all day for just the right one and had a wonderful time doing it. My bridal gown was floor length of taffeta and nylon with long pointed sleeves. My finger tip veil of illusion was draped from a tiara of lace.”
For going away, she chose a rust brown suit with matching brown accessories and, of course, she said, the white orchid from her bouquet.
Patricia Smith kept writing after the nuptials.
“Our first home was at 1802 Pacific, Apt. 2, in Everett. At first glance it was like a haven but on taking a second look, we found cockroaches in the bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, closet — in fact everywhere. The next thing the toilet got plugged by my dear husband and the landlord sent us the bill. As the days went by we found other disheartening conditions which existed in our first home. It rained quite a bit and seeing how it was a basement apartment, we were obliged to almost buy a rowboat to get in our watery paradise.”
Perhaps the most important part of the book are two pages devoted to the family tree. Patricia Smith took the time to fill it out, back to grandfather’s fathers on both sides.
With only minor sleuthing, I found a son, Dennis Smith, who is selling the family home on Rucker Hill. He said he was thrilled to get the book back and didn’t know how it ended up at the mission, but he said some of his mother’s clothing was donated.
The youngest of five children, he said his mother, a nurse, was his best friend. He took care of her at home as she suffered with Parkinson’s disease.
His father, a longshoreman, the love of his mother’s life, died at 55 of cancer in 1991.
“Mom kind of gave up after that,” Dennis Smith said.
He described his mother, 76, as a good bowler, a lover of gardening who fed birds in the yard and someone who helped anyone going through hard times. Their house afforded a lovely view of Port Gardner. Patricia and Patrick Smith liked to play cribbage on a balcony and peer over the waterfront and downtown Everett.
Dennis Smith will leave his childhood home when it’s sold. He will take along his memories, and a few keepsakes he saved from his parents.
He’ll add a wedding album, with intertwined hearts on the cover, to his treasures.
Kristi O’Harran: 425-339-3451; oharran@heraldnet.com.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
