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Anchors Aweigh
We had the perfect plan: a spring wedding set for May 21, 1966. But life, and the United States Navy, had other plans.
In late November, the "Next Shock" hit. We received word that my brother Lenny was being deployed to Vietnam aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ranger. He was shipping out the very next week. There was absolutely no way Georgia and I were going to get married without both Lenny and Ernie standing up there with us in the wedding party.
So, we executed a massive pivot. We scrapped the May timeline entirely and decided to get married on Friday, December 3rd. It was a crazy schedule—designed specifically to allow us a quick weekend honeymoon before getting back to work—but our parents immediately stepped in and did what families do: they helped us make the impossible happen.
We went into pure hustle mode. Before the wedding, we secured an apartment in the same complex where Ernie and Dave lived. I kept my head down, working my job and spending every spare minute getting our gear moved in. I rented a tuxedo, and Georgia and her mom went out and found a beautiful, affordable dress. We didn't need a year to plan a fancy party; we just needed our family together before Lenny shipped out. Oorah!
Friday, December 3, 1965
The wedding was perfect; it was like we planned it for months, instead of a week. As you can see, our parents were very happy to get rid of us love birds, who were always hanging around the house hugging and kissing all the time!
We had a wonderful wedding party at Georgia’s parents' home in their remodeled basement. It was absolutely perfect for the small group we had. My good friend Carmen Menna sang our song, "More." He later studied music and became a professor of music. He had a great voice and introduced us to falceto type singing. He also played many instruments and was excellent with his Accooustic Guitar. Thanks Carmen!
Parents L to R: Ernie Sr., Rose, Shirley, Ed
Carolyn Rusteberg, Bridesmaid, who set us up on our Blind Date
The Groomsmen: Lenny, Sandy, Uncle Andy, Ernie, Dave Ryan, Ernie Sr.
Mom, Dad, Lenny, Ernie, and Me.
This may be the only photo I have of our family together at one time. We’ll at least have that, thanks to being able to scan a photo to a digital file and use it as needed.
The Happy Couple
the wedding was perfect, it was like we planned it for months, instead of a week. As you can see, our parents were very happy to get rid of us love birds, hanging around the house hugging and kissing all the time.
Mom, Dad, Lenny, Ernie, and Me. This may be the only photo I have of our family together at one time. We’ll at least have that thanks to being able to scan a photo to a digital file and use it as needed. We had a wonderful wedding party at Georgia’s parents' home in their remodeled basement. Perfect for the small group we had.
We had a wonderful wedding party at Georgia’s parents' home in their remodeled basement. Perfect for the small group we had. For my First Communion Ceremony, you needed a second name. So, my name became Anthony Ross. From what I can remember, his wife, Ann, was a nice person. Grandpa Ross was a true salesman who owned a used car lot in Chicago. I always thought he was somehow connected, if you know what I mean.
The Honeymoon: From a Friday Night Dash to "40-4-40"
We were married on that Friday night, December 3rd, filled with an excitement that made the freezing weather disappear. Georgia hugged me all the way to our weekend getaway, and in that moment, we couldn’t have asked for anything more. We had a weekend full of fun and made it back home by Sunday night, ready to start our life together.
We never felt cheated by our "quick" start. Over the years, we made up for it with many trips to Hawaii, always circling back to celebrate the day we chose family over a spring date. But the ultimate "Next Shock" came in 2005. To celebrate our fortieth anniversary, we embarked on a journey we called "40-4-40"—forty days in Italy and Greece for our fortieth year. It was the honeymoon of honeymoons, a testament to a journey that started with a rented tux and a Navy deployment.
Whenever I hear the song. 🎶 - Until I Found You", it takes me right back to that foundation we built. It reminds me that in a world of constant technological change, finding the right partner is the only thing that truly makes the ride worth it.
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