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The Newlyweds Jan 22 1944 Mr & Mrs Harings
- Picture Notes:
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ANITA & PETER were married (for the first time) on January 22, 1944
in a civil ceremony in Anita's hometown of Eau Claire Wisconsin. Anita’s
father, (Henning Bylander) was a good friend of Judge Farr-- also of Eau
Claire and arranged for the Judge to perform the ceremony at the local
County court house.
At that time Anita was a Lutheran and Peter was a practicing Catholic. They both would have preferred a church wedding but was unable to come to an acceptable arrangement between themselves or their families. The young couple realized that time was of the essence so they opted for the civil ceremony.
Anita's parents held a reception for the newlyweds at their home in Eau Claire. The couple finally boarded a train later that same afternoon heading for Chicago. (See photo) Anita said that she enjoyed her first dinner as Mrs. Peter Harings that evening while being entertained by Cab Calloway. Hi De Ho!!
As previously mentioned, Pete was serving as an intelligence officer in the Army Air Corp & was stationed at Walterboro, South Carolina. He received his orders and was scheduled to ship out with his squadron during the second week of February. So after their quick civil ceremony, they spent the remainder of time together leisurely travelling south by train toward Walterboro.
Pete's father, a very strict and devout Catholic, was concerned that this new union had not been properly blessed. Before they left Eau Claire, Mr. Harings demanded that they have a priest bless their union before Peter Jr. leave for England. A Catholic wedding ceremony had been arranged and took take place on base as soon as they arrived in SC. (As told to me by my mother in law, Anita Bylander Harings, during the summer of 2003)