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Washington Evening Journal
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Washington, IA 52353
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Mary and Ed Kilpatrick celebrate 60th anniversary
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
Mary and Ed Kilpatrick celebrated their 60th Wedding Anniversary Sunday, Sept. 14 with a surprise luncheon and open house following the service at the Winfield Presbyterian Church. Family members and church friends of the Kilpatricks planned and executed the event.
Mary Pogemiller and Edwin Kilpatrick were united in marriage September 11, 1965, at the Presbyterian Church in Morning Sun, Iowa, following a rather unusual courtship.
Their story began when Marilyn Diller, a vocal student at Iowa Wesleyan College in Mt. Pleasant, was looking for an accompanist and along came Mary, who happened to be a piano major. That was the beginning of their friendship and later the courtship of Ed and Mary. At that time, Marilyn Diller from Columbus City was dating Ed’s brother, Ernie from Winfield. They thought it would be nice if Mary and Ed corresponded while Ed was stationed far from home where he was serving in the U.S. Navy. So, sight unseen, they began corresponding.
Mary isn’t exactly sure who wrote first, but for approximately three years letters traveled back and forth between Iowa and White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. They finally met when Ed was home on leave. They double dated with Ernie and Marilyn and apparently it was a success (maybe love at first sight?). They continued to correspond after Ed returned to Norfolk Naval Base on the U.S.S. Wrangell to finish his tour of duty.
Ed returned home in June of 1965, and they were married that September. Their minister was Rev. Edward Fish. Mary’s attendants were her friends, Marilyn (who was by then Mrs. Ernie Kilpatrick) and Elaine Fish. Ed’s attendants were his brothers, Ernest and Roger.
They began married life in Burlington and after several years and several different locations they moved to Winfield where Ed, now retired, worked for Farmer’s Coop for 17 years and Mary was (and still is) the secretary at the Presbyterian Church in Winfield. We’re glad these two have found their “happily ever after.” Congratulations Ed and Mary.
