Wedding Wednesday: Who Are the Bridesmaids?

The following pictures are from Kodachrome slides I found in the study of my late father, Frederick Henry Pape (1929-2017), and were most likely taken by him. They are of five bridesmaids at the double wedding on June 13, 1953, of Dad's younger sisters, Marilyn "Beete" Electa Pape Hedger, who married James "Jim" Edward Hedger (1933-2010); and Rose Mary "Moe" Pape Dietz (1931-2007), who married Ronald Joseph "Das" Dietz (1931-1994).

One other bridesmaid was Dad's older sister Elizabeth "Betty" Mary Pape Streff  (1927-2017), who was in an identical dress, only in blue.  I'm thinking a couple of these may be of Jim's older sisters.  This first one could be Juanita "Nita" Hedger Mullins [ETA 17 February 2020:  but Nita herself says it is not her (see the comments)]:

Here is Nita's picture in the 1942 yearbook from Immaculata High School in Chicago, when she was a sophomore.  I see some similarities in the smile. [ETA 17 February 2020:  This is Nita, according to Nita herself - see the comments.]

My cousin Ginny confirmed my guess that this next one is her aunt, Lorraine Ann Hedger Marks (1925-1998).

Here is Lorraine's junior year picture from the 1942 Immaculata High School yearbook - again, a similar smile.

Das had an older and a younger brother, and one half-sister, Carol Marion Dietz Mossolle (1914-1982).  One of the following three women could be her, or they could be girlfriends/wives of Das' brothers, or they could just be friends of Moe and Beete.   Perhaps some of my cousins will know who these women are.

The best view of the bridesmaid dress is in this picture - the wind wasn't blowing it around:

The photos were taken outside the wedding location, St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church in Chicago, Illinois.


© Amanda Pape - 2019 - e-mail me!