When a couple have been together for 32 years and they finally have the opportunity to publicly celebrate their love for each other, invitations will be accepted. We were honored to be included as witnesses to this wonderful occasion.
Over 50 years ago (2016 will mark our 50th anniversary since we graduated from North Texas State University) a friendship bond was made that has never broken between 4 women who met in McConnell Dorm (if my memory serves me), became suite mates, and, most importantly, have shared decades of joy and travails, knowing we would always be there to support each other. As an only child, having girl friends has always been my substitute for having sisters. These three are definitely an important and treasured part of my life. I can also say the same about some of my chums from high school and some I have met since moving to the DC area.
I regret that I did not take any camera but my phone, so the following pictures aren't great (most of the time the lighting was terrible and I didn't want to bother others by using my flash), but they do capture some highlights of the wedding.
THE CEREMONY
On the left is the Rev. Folkerth who led the service. On the right is the Republican Judge Deborah Hankinson who officiated the exchanging of vows. She served on the The Fifth District Court of Appeals at Dallas with Linda and she is also a former member of the Texas Supreme Court.
Linda on the left, Janet on the right being escorted down the aisle by Jane Wetzel, a dear friend and former colleague of Janet's.
This walk down the aisle experienced a slight delay after all in the wedding party had completed the walk and we were eagerly awaiting the arrival of the principles. Janet appeared alone and announced she couldn't find her bouquet. Her brother-in-law was identified as the person last known to have it. A scramble occurred and the missing flowers were found. In the photo you can see Janet being handed her bouquet. Everyone had a good laugh.
During their 32 years together, the couple had to live very private lives with separate mailing addresses because Janet had a very high profile administrative position in the Dallas public school system (was even interviewed on "60 Minutes" for something-or-other related to her job) and was on the faculty at SMU and Linda was an elected judge (all judges are elected in Texas). They did not "come out" until they retired.
Before the exchanging of vows the couple gave personal comments to each other. Janet gave a lovely and poetic statement; Linda looked over her shoulder at all of us with a "you've got to be kidding me" look on her face and said "Ditto" which got a big laugh. She did go on to say a few lovely and touching things but acknowledged that Janet was the poet of the two.
During their 32 years together, the couple had to live very private lives with separate mailing addresses because Janet had a very high profile administrative position in the Dallas public school system (was even interviewed on "60 Minutes" for something-or-other related to her job) and was on the faculty at SMU and Linda was an elected judge (all judges are elected in Texas). They did not "come out" until they retired.
Before the exchanging of vows the couple gave personal comments to each other. Janet gave a lovely and poetic statement; Linda looked over her shoulder at all of us with a "you've got to be kidding me" look on her face and said "Ditto" which got a big laugh. She did go on to say a few lovely and touching things but acknowledged that Janet was the poet of the two.
When Judge Hankinson pronounced them a married couple because of the power vested by the State of Texas and the US Supreme Court a HUGE cheer started. It was great to see and hear all of these Texans, many of them Republicans, celebrating this happy moment. Many of us were also shedding tears of joy.
Not everyone seemed joyful. Linda's grandnephew, Cade, was just baffled but definitely the cutest guy there in a tux.
After exchanging vows, everyone was invited to participate in communion, Methodist style. The minister served the couple. They in turn, with the help of some friends, served all those wishing to participate.
Not everyone seemed joyful. Linda's grandnephew, Cade, was just baffled but definitely the cutest guy there in a tux.
After exchanging vows, everyone was invited to participate in communion, Methodist style. The minister served the couple. They in turn, with the help of some friends, served all those wishing to participate.
Janet serving communion to Norman.
After the ceremony The Group posed for a photo.
Me, Janet, Linda, and Joan
I have always said that a book and/or movie about our lives would be a lot more interesting that Mary McCarthy's The Group. Remember the movie with Candice Bergen making her film debut?
We just need someone to take up the challenge and write the book. The main characters would include:
* Joan - a young woman from Marshall, TX. Might as well say Mississippi. For proof see Denzel Washington's movie The Great Debaters about the black debate team from a school in Marshall that won the national competition against Harvard when schools were still segregated. She married a really terrific guy who happened to be black. See the photo above of her husband, Norman. He was for many years the only Republican in our group in which someone always ended our political debates by saying "what's wrong with this picture". They met when Joan took a photography class that he was teaching. She had a long and distinguished career at the Library of Congress;
* Linda, a quiet sociology major who became one of the nation's first PhD's in art therapy. While working at Prince George's Community Hospital she met a psychiatrist, Lou Tinnin. They married and were together over 40 years until his death last year. They became internationally acknowledged experts for the treatment protocol they developed for Post Traumatic Stress. They traveled extensively, conducting training workshops in the US, Europe and Australia. All of us missed his presence during this event. He would have loved it. He would have been one of the first on the dance floor, dipping Linda all over the place. If you have been to my home, you have seen a large poster-size photo of Lou that I took. He is wearing a tux while on a wind surfboard, coming across the lake where he and Linda lived, with a glass of wine in 1 hand and smoking a cigar. A true class act.
* Janet, a survivor of an abusive husband, who lived in hiding for several years. Only a few knew the name she was using and her address. Then she emerged only to go into the closet. She earned her PhD in political science from North TX. We all agree that we were fortunate to have received excellent educations from that institution. It may have been easy to get in but it was hard to successfully get out.
THE RECEPTION
Following the ceremony, we left the lovely party room of The Claridge condominium on Turtle Creek and moseyed over to an amazing private home in Highland Park where hundreds of the couple's friends and family gathered to celebrate the nuptials.
* Joan - a young woman from Marshall, TX. Might as well say Mississippi. For proof see Denzel Washington's movie The Great Debaters about the black debate team from a school in Marshall that won the national competition against Harvard when schools were still segregated. She married a really terrific guy who happened to be black. See the photo above of her husband, Norman. He was for many years the only Republican in our group in which someone always ended our political debates by saying "what's wrong with this picture". They met when Joan took a photography class that he was teaching. She had a long and distinguished career at the Library of Congress;
* Linda, a quiet sociology major who became one of the nation's first PhD's in art therapy. While working at Prince George's Community Hospital she met a psychiatrist, Lou Tinnin. They married and were together over 40 years until his death last year. They became internationally acknowledged experts for the treatment protocol they developed for Post Traumatic Stress. They traveled extensively, conducting training workshops in the US, Europe and Australia. All of us missed his presence during this event. He would have loved it. He would have been one of the first on the dance floor, dipping Linda all over the place. If you have been to my home, you have seen a large poster-size photo of Lou that I took. He is wearing a tux while on a wind surfboard, coming across the lake where he and Linda lived, with a glass of wine in 1 hand and smoking a cigar. A true class act.
* Janet, a survivor of an abusive husband, who lived in hiding for several years. Only a few knew the name she was using and her address. Then she emerged only to go into the closet. She earned her PhD in political science from North TX. We all agree that we were fortunate to have received excellent educations from that institution. It may have been easy to get in but it was hard to successfully get out.
THE RECEPTION
Following the ceremony, we left the lovely party room of The Claridge condominium on Turtle Creek and moseyed over to an amazing private home in Highland Park where hundreds of the couple's friends and family gathered to celebrate the nuptials.
What a cake!
It tasted really good too!
To no one's surprise, everything was lovely and a reflection of the detailed and thoughtful planning that went into the creation of this long overdue event. It was a wonderful wedding, never to be forgotten.
