Finally -- Dale Gets Married, part five

In September of 1941, after he completed his instruction and converted to Catholicism, Leta’s son Dale proposed to Kathryn Peer. The preparations for a January wedding began immediately. A lot of young people were getting married, because of the threat of war. Already Germany controlled much of Europe, battling the Soviet Union in the East and the United Kingdom and its allies in the West. Simultaneously, Japan was extending its control throughout the Pacific, moving closer to Australia and the United States territories of Guam and Hawaii. Young men and women throughout the country were deciding whether or not they should marry or wait, and many of them, especially those who had already waited out the Depression, were getting married.

While they already knew that Dale would not be conscripted, because of his prior service and discharge from the Navy, there were other factors in place. Dale and his roommate’s friendship was disintegrating, and he would need to move soon. And, more significantly, Kathryn was a good Catholic girl. Dale told his mother. “We don’t want to wait much longer.”

The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on Sunday, December 7, 1941, stalled the marriage planning. The entire country was stunned by the assault, and then began to rally. The United States declared war on Japan on December 8th. On December 11th, Germany and Italy declared war on United States, which immediately declared war on Germany and Italy. Just like that, the country was drawn into the Second World War.

Dale was distraught. He appeared on Leta’s door on December 13th. He still wanted to get married, but with the entire world now focused on stopping the Germans and Japanese, he was not even sure the priest would perform the ceremony. He feared that another couple might need their scheduled day so they could marry before the groom was sent overseas in the military. After all, several of his work colleagues had already enlisted. He was even afraid that Kathryn or her parents would postpone the event until easier times. The families had several brief conversations among themselves, with each other, and with the priest. They all decided that it would be best if they proceeded as scheduled.

On January 23, 1942, Dale and Kathryn were married at Saints Cyril and Methodius Catholic Church. He was 25 years old, and she was 23. They went to Niagara Falls for two days to celebrate and then took up residence in Rossford, Ohio. Dale continued working at Spicer Manufacturing, and Kathryn took up housekeeping. Their first child, Constance Marie, was born on April 18, 1943.