Adams-Gray Wedding

Bridal Shower: Linda Merkley (grandmother of bride); 

Joanne Adams (bride-to-be); Hes Sams (mother of bride);

Lucile Gray (mother of groom)

Adams-Gray Wedding: Newspaper Clipping

  The First Presbyterian Church of Claremont, Minn., was the scene of a beautiful wedding on Sunday, June 19 (1949) at 2:30 o’clock in the afternoon when Miss Jo Anne Adams, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Sams of Blooming Prairie, Minn., became the bride of Mr. George R. Gray, eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Gray of Claremont.

  The Rev. Floren Shendel, pastor of the church performed the double ring ceremony before the altar which was beautifully decorated with baskets of garden flowers and floor candelabra.

  Preceding the ceremony, Miss Margie Ducheck played the organ prelude while the usher unrolled the white carpet down the aisle.

  The bride was given in marriage by her father. She wore a gown of white silk marquisette over satin and styled with a set in marquisette yoke trimmed with ruffled lace, fitted bodice and long tapered sleeves. The full skirt ended in a long train. Her fingertip veil fell from a tiara of orange blossoms. She carried a white Bible with a single lily banked in white roses and satin streamers. A family cameo locket belonging to Mrs. Raymond Larson was her only jewelry.

  Miss Evelyne Terry of La Porte, Ind., cousin of the bride, was maid of honor. She was attired in a pink organdy floor length dress with a scalloped neckline and full skirt. She carried arm bouquet of red roses.

  Miss Bonnie Haradon of Sac City and Miss Alice Kruckeburg of Claremont were bridesmaids. They wore identical gowns of lavender and blue organdy fashioned similar to the maid of honor. They carried bouquets of yellow and white roses tied with satin ribbons.

  Little Judy Gray, sister of the groom, was flower girl. She wore a floor length dress of white net and carried a white basket with blue trim. She strewed rose petals in the path of the bride.

  Judy Sams of Dubuque, cousin of the bride, dressed in a floor length dress of blue organdy was ringbearer. She carried the rings on a white satin pillow.

  The groom, attired in a tan business suit, was attended by his brother, Don Gray as best man. Jim Murray and Willie Thiemann, friends of the groom, were groomsmen. They wore business suits and all the men wore white carnation boutonniere.

  Mrs. Ronald Bartells, sister of the groom, sang “Because” preceding the ceremony and Miss Sharill Weaver sang “The Lord’s Prayer” as the couple knelt before the altar.

  The bride’s mother chose a white linen dress with white accessories. The groom’s mother was attired in a flowered dress with which she wore black accessories. Both mothers wore a corsage of red roses. Mrs. Loren Merkley, grandmother of the bride wore a lavender sheer dress with white accessories.

  A reception for 150 guests was held in the church parlors following the ceremony. A white three-tier wedding cake, baked by the bride’s mother, was the centerpiece of the table. White candles and nut cups completed the decorations. Dining room hostess was Mrs. Beth Hitzman of Claremont. Mrs. Dwight Morford and Mrs. Bill Edmond also of Claremont, poured. Mrs. Morseitte of Dodge Center, Minn., cut the cake and Mrs. Bob Campbell of Sac City assisted by Mrs. Erland McMartin of Claremont had charge of the guest book and gifts.

  Waitresses, schoolmates of the bride were Mary Ballstedt, Doris Meitsner, Marian Bromley and Dorothy Russell. They wore pastel organdy aprons, gifts of the bride.

  For going away the bride chose a royal blue suit with white accessories.

  Mrs. Gray is a graduate of Claremont High School with the class of 1949. She attended Sac City High School until her junior year.

  Mr. Gray graduated from the Claremont High School with the class of ’47. He is farming in partnership with his father.

  Following their honeymoon in Sac City, the couple will be at home near Claremont, Minn.

  Out of town guests were present from San Francisco, Calif.; Storm Lake, Dubuque, Ames, Michigan City, Ind., Normall, Ill., St. Paul, Minn., Redwood Falls, Minn., Lafayette, Minn., Waltham, Minn., Minneapolis, Minn., Dodge Center, Minn., and Mankato, Minn.

Bride, Joanne Adams

She wore a gown of white silk marquisette over satin and styled with a set in marquisette yoke trimmed with ruffled lace, fitted bodice and long tapered sleeves. The full skirt ended in a long train. Her fingertip veil fell from a tiara of orange blossoms. She carried a white Bible with a single lily banked in white roses and satin streamers. A family cameo locket belonging to Mrs. Raymond Larson was her only jewelry.

Ring Bearer, Judy Sams

Bridal Party

Miss Evelyne Terry of La Porte, Ind., cousin of the bride, was maid of honor. She was attired in a pink organdy floor length dress with a scalloped neckline and full skirt. She carried arm bouquet of red roses.

   Miss Bonnie Haradon of Sac City and Miss Alice Kruckeburg of Claremont were bridesmaids. They wore identical gowns of lavender and blue organdy fashioned similar to the maid of honor. They carried bouquets of yellow and white roses tied with satin ribbons.

   Little Judy Gray, sister of the groom, was flower girl. She wore a floor length dress of white net and carried a white basket with blue trim. She strewed rose petals in the path of the bride.

   Judy Sams of Dubuque, cousin of the bride, dressed in a floor length dress of blue organdy was ringbearer. She carried the rings on a white satin pillow.

Bride and Groom

Bride and Groom

Their Car