[Granville-Hough] 24 Jan 2009 and 24 Jan 1947

[Trustees and Executors for Granville W. Hough]

24 Jan 1947

    What a busy day that was for Carol Steckelberg of Oklahoma College
for Women (OCW), Chickasha, OK, and 2d Lt Granville Hough of Fort Sill,
OK!  It can be remembered for its events by a few people 62 years later.
    It began with Carol Steckelberg preparing for and finishing her
Sophomore exams at OCW, then finishing her wedding dress.  For Granville
Hough, it meant borrowing a car from his friend Ray Gilbert, then moving
his possessions from the Barracks, Officers Quarters (BOQ) to a
temporary room at the Officer's Club Guest House at Fort Sill, then
getting to Chickasha and getting Carol's possessions loaded in the car,
then getting to the church on time.  Granville had obtained a marriage
license in Grady County, OK County Court House in Chickasha on 18 Jan
1947, the week before.
    Without a minute to lose, everyone arrived at the Methodist Church
of Chickasha, where we had arranged the previous Sunday to perform the
marriage.  Ray Gilbert was Best Man, and Carol's roommate, whose name
has slipped from my memory, was Maid of Honor.  Carol's friend and
schoolmate, Roberta Theimer, and my USMA classmate Carl P. Schmidt were
the witnesses.  Methodist Minister Don E. Schooler performed the
ceremony, including the exchange of gold wedding rings.  The only other
guest I remember was Van Baker, also my USMA roommate.
    My USMA classmates had intended to fix up Ray's car with tin cans
and other typical items for newly weds.  However, Carol wanted to go by
the place where I had proposed and we had agreed to marry.  When we
turned down that country road, we lost those who were going to make us
known to the world as newlyweds, and we did not learn of the plot until
the next day.  When we got to the spot on the road, it was so dark it
was scary to be there, so we just kissed once and moved on to Fort
Sill.  From there on, we were just typical young married folks doing
what comes naturally.