This week in history: Leap Day wedding bells chime for Chicago couples

As reported by the Chicago Daily News, sister paper of the Chicago Sun-Times:

In 1944, Chicago was deep in the trenches of World War II. But on Feb. 29, 1944 — Leap Day — some couples took a break to celebrate.

A front-page article, surrounded by war-related news, in the Chicago Daily News that day highlighted the couples who flocked to a judge to either be married or obtain a marriage license.

First into the marriage court came Ben Blier and Frankie B.J. Wetherholt, the article says. “They met while both worked in a Loop department store,” but the happy couple and their 14 guests didn’t pop champagne after their midday nuptials.

“We are going back to work this afternoon for a while,” the bride told the reporter. The celebration would resume later that night.

Another couple — Pvt. Robert C. Vanden Brook and Carol A. Brand — had waited two years to obtain their marriage license, according to the article, then happened to land on the rare date that only happens every four years.

“They were accompanied by the Rev. J.R. Maerke, C.S.S.R., of Kansas City, Mo., Miss Brand’s uncle, who will perform the ceremony at 11 a.m. Thursday in a solemn high mass in St. Gregory’s Church.”