Florida Coalcracker Chronicles: The Wedding Party 50 Years in the Waiting

Presenting Mr. and Mrs. Harry Everhart

The Everhart 10!

The cousins loved being together.

The youngest Everhart.

Can you believe this is the New England
Fire Company?

On June 24th 1971 - we eloped from Tamaqua PA - got married in Finksburg MD at Sandy Mount Methodist Church - and honeymooned in Miami Beach FL. We met at the Bungalow swimming pool in the summer of 1969. I was the life guard - she was the surfer girl in a bikini. I invited her to go to the Woodstock Music Festival - her parents disagreed - so I went without her. It was our first date that never was. I was still a college student - she was at THS.

After a month-long honeymoon, we returned to an apartment in downtown Tamaqua PA. In the fall - I returned to my teaching job at Panther Valley - and Nancy returned to school at THS.

Nancy and her cousins - Ruthann and Cathy - decided that she should have a retro wedding - what it might have been like if we were allowed to marry at home. All this planning went on long distance - the cousins would meet at Cocoa Beach FL and planned for years. Then the plague came and stifled the plan many times. But they were determined.

On the original elopement night - Harry and Nancy met by the New England Fire Company. Surely - this should be the place of the wedding party. It all started there. Nancy's childhood church was the Tamaqua Primitive Methodist Church. Rev Rick Clemson was happy to officiate. June 24th - 2021 - would have been the official date - but that was against delayed with the plague.

First - it was important to be able to physically get the Everhart 10 together in Tamaqua PA. Those logistics were pretty hard with jobs - schools - and activities. This is compounded with 4 of them living in Paris - France and the other 4 living in Richmond - VA.

One factor that really helped was my fellow teacher buddy - giving us his home as a place for the Everhart 10 to live for 10 days. Ted Collins worked with me for 20 years at Panther Valley - and his vacation home was magnificent - complete with a swimming pool for the kids.

Nancy and I took 3 days to drive our electric car from Tallahassee FL. The Paris Everhart's flew to NYC - then toured to Washington - Philadelphia - their wedding venue - Bedford Springs - and the Jersey Shore. The Richmond Everharts made the trip in 2 cars to accommodate school activities.

The actual retro wedding occurred on August 12th - 2022 at the PM church at 4 PM. The party started at the New England Fire Company at 5 PM.

In the service - one of my students - Amy Depuy sang. Her Mom Gina Depuy played the organ. The wedding party was The Everhart 10 - plus 2 cousins. Harry - Nancy - Drew - Keith - Robin - Elizabeth - Jack - Kate - Max - Helen. The cousins Ruthann Busolits and Cathy Pelcheck.

The absolute highlight of the wedding was Nancy singing. She attended that church as a child and was in the choir - but was told that she sang "too low." She looked me in the eyes and said - she always wanted to sing a solo in that church. She sang to me - You Are my Sunshine. I was happily blown away. She has the voice of an angel.

After a picture session - we all drove to the fire company party room. The few days before - all of the family decorated the room. It was both quaint and beautiful. About 100 people enjoyed a dinner catered by Capriotti's of McAdoo. An open bar was managed by Charles Felty.

The wedding couple danced to - In The Shallow - by Lady Gaga. It symbolizes us meeting in the shallow and proceeding to the deep together.

All 4 Everharts eventually were lifeguards at the Bungalow Pool.

An extensive collection of photographs was taken by Brendon of Bugge Photography. Most of the pictures provided here are from that firm. A few other pictures were taken by friends - they will be identified.

Saturday the family celebrated along with Florida friend Joan Varner at Knoebel's Amusement Park. Sunday - everyone peeled off to their lives back home in France - Virginia - Florida.

Other VIP guests were - Betty Cox mother of the bride - Judy Everhart Scarborough and family - Joan Varner from Florida - JP and Wanda Brown from Florida - Jan Davis from Arizona - Cathy Pelcheck and Ruthann Busolits the cousins - Nancy's siblings Jack & Dave & Lori - Pete Spinelli from Alabama - Robin's mother Charlotte and partner Philippe from Maryland and many more friends and extended family. We missed having Paul and Evelyn.

A special welcome to the wedding went out to Paul and Shirley Dodson. In 1973 - Paul build our honeymoon chalet for us - we lived there 30 years - it overlooks the spot where Nancy and I met at the Tamaqua Community Pool in the Summer of 1969.

Bookmark programs. We went with a literary theme.

The Golden Girls.

We were calling her Kate Moss.

Cousin Ruthann

Walking down the aisle with Helen.

Handsome Everhart men.

Max took his role very seriously.

Our oldest son, Drew.

Kate and Robin

Lovely Primitive Methodist Church. There were about
80 guests.

You may kiss the bride.

Organ playing "All You Need is Love."

Happy times

Joe Labella and Cathy Pelcheck. Cathy kept us organized.

Bill and Ruthann Busolits. Sally Bair taking photos.

Our youngest son, Keith.

Jan Davis and Harry. Janet Hill and Carl Zimmerman in
the background

The Richmond Everharts

Lulu and her sons.

Lulu and all the boys.

The Paris Everharts

The Everhart 10

Bridesmaids: Cathy, Robin, Kate, Lulu, Elizabeth, Helen
and Ruthann

Crazy cousins with bridal sunglasses.

The Richmond Everharts with Robin's mom Charlotte and
her husband Philippe.

Mother and daughter

Father and son. He's only 14!

With our dear friend Sally.

Brother and sister. So cute!

With Rev. Rick Clemson. He and Sandy recently
celebrated their 50th too.

Max was intrigued with the old photos of his dad as a boy.

Gold toasting glasses from the cousins!

We loved our flowers. Wedding party flowers bought at
Sam's Club and arrangement flowers from Costco. We
combined some book page flowers with the real ones.

Lovely cake from the caterer, Capriottis. Tasted great too.

Cousin Susan Kabana, sister Lori Ansbach, cousin
Ruthann Busolits.

Helen trying out the props. Thanks to Jen Russell for
making the props and frame.

This photo is of all the cousin's on Lulu's side of the family.
Front row: Carole Barber, Judi Titus, Ruthann Busolits,
Nancy Everhart, Cathy Pelcheck. John Pelcheck, David Cox,
Jack Cox.