Marriages (Van Valkenburg)

 MHD Collection

 

At Four o'clock Thursday afternoon June 15, at the First Baptist church in Afton, N.Y. [Chenango Co.], Miss Lena Van Valkenburg of Afton [daughter of Mr. and Mrs. L.D. Van Valkenburg], became the bride of Heber O. Van Gilder Jr., son of Rev. Dr. and Mrs. Heber O. Van Gilder Sr., of Portsmouth, Ohio.  Dr. Van Gilder officiated at the wedding ceremony.  Preceding the service a half hour of organ music was played by Mrs. Lucille Ostrom of Ithaca, N.Y., Walter Bridges of Thompson, Pa., sang two solos, "I Love You Truly" and "Together Life's Pathway We Tread."  The open Bible was banked with palms, ferns and baskets of flowers in keeping with the summer season and the aisles were marked with white ribbons.  Miss Martha Van Gilder, the bridegroom's sister, was maid of honor and Donald Zeimer of Austin, Minn., was best man.  The bridesmaids were Mrs. Barbara Webster of Afton, Miss Nancy Sweet of Syracuse, Miss Frances Stone of Harpursville and Miss Mary Sands of Afton.  Ushers were Lloyd Button of Waterloo, Iowa, Jack Nitengale of Flint, Mich., John Allen of Ithaca and Paul Bustrum of Frenso, Calif.  The young men, all students from the Baptist Seminary in Johnson City, wore striped trousers.  The maid of honor and other attendants wore gowns of pastel shades, all fashioned along princess lines with the tight bodice and full skirts.  Miss Van Gilder's gown had a square neckline and the others a V-neckline.  All carried bouquets of snap dragons tied with tulle to match their gowns.  Miss Van Gilder was in peach, Mrs. Webster in Yellow, Miss Sweet in aqua, Miss Stone in pink and Miss Sands in pale blue.  The bride was given in marriage by her father.  She chose a princess style gown of lace ninon voile.  The dress had the sweetheart neckline and long sleeves ending in points over the hands.  Her white three-tiered veil fell from a halo into a long train.  Miss Van Valkenburg carried a white Bible and a corsage of carnations with carnations cascading from white ribbons.  She later wore the corsage with her going away attire.  At the close of the ceremony Dr. Van Gilder gave a dedicatory service and Mr. Bridges sang a solo.  A reception for about 100 guests was held in the church parlors.  Mrs. Van Valkenburg wore a powder blue crepe dress with white accessories and the bridegroom's mother chose a beige net and crepe afternoon dress with black accessories.  Both mothers wore corsages of Talisman roses.  Following their wedding trip to Niagara Falls, the couple went to Lake Ontario where Rev. Van Gilder Jr. will have charge of the Niagara Bible conference.  Rev. Van Gilder Jr., is a graduate of Portsmouth High School and his bride graduated form Afton High School.  Both were graduated from the Baptist Bible Seminary in Johnson City, May 29.  [MHD notation:  1944]