When my grandparents, Adrian and L. Edna (Mulder) Zuidweg got married on 21 May 1932, Grandpa’s mother, Cora DeKorn Zuidweg, was dying of cancer. He was staying home to take care of her because his father had died in 1929 and he was an only child.
In 1931, Grandpa had asked Grandma to marry him as he drove her in the car from Kalamazoo to her parents’ farm in Caledonia. But Grandma had to wait a year to teach and give the money to her family who were struggling financially because of the Great Depression.
So there was no big celebration for my grandparents. Aunt Jen, Cora’s sister stayed with Cora while they got married. They drove to South Bend, Indiana, although Grandpa was from Kalamazoo and Grandma from Caledonia, two southwestern Michigan towns. They could get a marriage license and marry immediately in South Bend.
Traveling with them were Grandma’s sister Vena and her boyfriend Al Stimson’s cousin, Herb Thorpe. They had forgotten to get flowers, so they plucked spirea along the way.
On the way back, they ate dinner at a restaurant in Cassopolis.
Grandma immediately moved into the house at 1520 S. Burdick Street. She helped take care of her mother-in-law who died on 16 September 1932.
When the school year began, Grandma continued to teach that first year and would come home on the weekend. So that Grandpa wouldn’t be alone, Al Stimson moved in with him. Al was a student at WMU. His job was to help Grandpa with the housework. His way of handling the dishes was to load the dirty ones under the sink all week and then just before Grandma was due home for the weekend he would wash them all.
I imagine Grandma was happy to quit teaching and get rid of living in the “frat boy” atmosphere haha.
I’m happy they managed to send out some engraved wedding announcements.
And their portrait, too.
The Family Kalamazoo 
I enjoyed this story. A bit sad, but I know it brought out such great things in the future. Amazing to have all these things and stories.
Thanks, James. Sometimes it surprises me the information I have at my fingertips!
Delightful post 🙂 Also I received my copy of Kin Types and excited to start enjoying!
Thank you and thank you! I hope you enjoy the book, too!
I love spirea. When I was a youngster, all of “my” wedding bouquets were spirea and honeysuckle. Yum!
So it’s all about the scent, right? I guess it’s also called Meadowsweet!
I love the detail of stopping to pick flowers along the way!
Me too! I found the information in a “memory book” my grandparents made for all the grandkids!
I’m sure someone will find this page and absolutely love hearing those sorts of details. I know I’d love to find something like that about my family. Really brings a story to life!
Your grandparents were a handsome couple! I loved your story about their wedding and early marriage. Although times were tough (that’s often life), they endured!
Oh, thank you so much–on their behalf :)! Yes, times were very tough for them starting out, but they were so close all their married lives.
What a sweet looking couple—how old were they? Times certainly were hard between a dying parent and the Depression. But they must have loved each other quite a bit to endure all those challenges, so that makes me feel better about their understated wedding.
My grandfather would have been 24 and my grandmother 20. She started college at age 17. They had a great marriage that lasted until death when my grandfather was 91 years old.
Wow, so 67 years. That’s wonderful.
That’s right! They were very close.
What a lovely couple. And such a sweet story of their marriage. Makes me realise how over-the-top so many weddings are these days.
Over-the-top and unnecessary. What a letdown after the fancy wedding is over, especially if that’s all they think about for a year or more.
I agree. I do wonder sometimes if couples actually want marriage, or some notion of glamour and “being special” that weddings are meant to deliver. When I hear about the complexities and expense of weddings these days, I’m stunned. The best weddings I’ve ever been to have been the simplest.
My son got married this spring. They pulled off a beautiful beach wedding that gave an appearance of elegance but not stuffy or formal. They worked full time and went to school part time while planning it. They stayed in their budget and didn’t act crazy. No bridezilla, etc. It was so lovely and such a pleasure. But they weren’t getting married to have a wedding, but because they love each other.
That’s exactly how it should be. A beach wedding sounds terrific. And I wish your son and his wife a very long and very happy marriage. 🙂
Thank you so much!!! They are pretty happy so far! The wedding was so perfect except that at the moment of the ceremony the wind really picked up and it was windy, but they were great and the bride was making jokes about it during the ceremony ;).
That is so good to hear — especially the joking part. I firmly believe the ability to laugh together, and to see the funny side of life’s glitches is a very important glue in good relationships. 🙂
I agree!!!
That dishes idea might come in handy. Thanks! Ha!
Glad my family could help! Hahaha!
Is it me or do they look like two very determined people?
They were determined to be together!!!
Precious artifacts!
Yes, and other than the photo, I love that my grandparents thought to leave us this information about their wedding!
I think and hope they must have been a great couple living life – beautiful picture – they have a look that presents reality and love at the same time – nice – Depression was very difficult for lots of people – loving would be a great plus, especially given the outside world at that time – Thank you – Spyro
Yes, they loved each other very much and were a very close couple. Thanks so much, Spyro!
Another wonderful moving family story, Luanne – and the wedding portrait is stunning. They were a gorgeous couple. Movie star material.
P.S. I thought of you when I saw the Western Michigan score scroll by on ESPN this afternoon. Don’t worry – the season’s brand new!
It’s so funny you say that about their photo. My grandfather was mistaken for a couple of different movie/TV stars when he traveled away from Michigan. Ugh, this is not off to a good start for WMU football. But it’s only one game.
What an interesting start to their marriage. I had to google spirea because your photo was nothing like the spirea I am familiar with. I was surprised to see that there are a lot of varieties of spirea. Is it just me or do they not look very happy in that photo? From other things you’ve written I have a sense that they were happy…
Well, they did have a lot of stress because his mother was very very ill and would die a few months later. But I am guessing it’s more the photographer telling them that this is the sort of expression they should have. I remember when I got my engagement photo, the photographer told me that and I ended up with this bizarre smirk on my face. I mean, I look like a cartoon ferret trying to be serious.
Oh no! I’m sorry to hear that you don’t like your engagement photo. That is disappointing. I hope you can laugh about it now. 😉
I might look like a turtle in it, too! And my hair was frizzy. So glad we have flat irons now! hahah
Me too!
So special to have those great photos and other treasures.