The group is gathered in front of the Junior High Building at First Friends Church, which was just north of the main church building. This building was torn down in the 1970s when the main church building was leveled, and replaced with a new dining hall.
This article from the Whittier Daily News (click to enlarge it) tells the story of Merritt and Anna’s long life together, and includes their wedding picture.
This photo was taken at First Friends Church on Oct. 15, 1961 immediately following the celebration of Merritt and Anna Votaw’s 60th anniversary in the church basement. All of the Votaws and their cousins were invited and it seems that most of them were present. Here are the names of the people whom I recognize in this picture.
Top row: Don Votaw and Marlin Davis are the two tall men in the upper left corner. I don’t know the man on the far right, but the couple next to him are Kenny (with the crew cut) and Joanne (Votaw) Camp. Nellie Grace Votaw is next to Joanne. Next row: Shirley Votaw is in front of Marlin, and Arline (Votaw) Davis is next to her. Clayton Votaw is behind Arline’s left shoulder, with his wife Alma next to him, her face half hidden. Over to the right, in front of Joanne is Vera (Votaw) Boyce with her husband Will Boyce next to her. Dick Votaw is near the right end of that row, next to a small boy.
Third row from top: Ezra Ellis, pastor of First Friends, stands between Shirley and Arline; Virginia Votaw is standing in front of Alma and blocking part of her face. In the next row down, the second man (the leftmost of the two bald men) is George Davidson; his wife Lucy (with black hair – a cousin of Anna Votaw) is next to him. To the right, about four people over, is Howard Votaw standing behind Anna Votaw. Two people over further to the right stands Eleanor (Votaw) Lucy. Two more people to the right, with a baby directly in front of him, is Harold Votaw; behind him on the left is Mildred Votaw and on the right is Doree Votaw. Marilyn (Votaw) Walker is in front of Doree, holding her baby; her husband Norm Walker (with the crew cut) is next to her.
Merritt and Anna Votaw, wearing a boutonniere and corsage, are just left of center. Their honored ladies in waiting are wearing corsages too. The tall one two people to the right of Anna is Ann Davidson, George and Lucy’s daughter. Her brother Larry stands directly in front of Merritt and Anna. You can see me and Daryl Votaw (son of Don and Shirley) in the same row, to the right. I am holding the memory book that my grandma Mildred put together for Merritt and Anna.
The second and third girls standing in front are Lynda and Deena Votaw, Daryl’s sisters. My sister Sue, with her fingers in her mouth, is next to Deena. The first two seated girls are Janet and Ann Lucy, Eleanor’s daughters. My sister Peggy is next, and Susan Walker (Marilyn’s daughter) is next to Peggy.
Merritt and Anna Votaw on their 60th anniversary, standing in an archway in front of their home on Washington St., directly across the street from First Friends Church.
Another story about the anniversary from the Daily News. The celebration was planned and led by Mildred Votaw; a picture of it is at the top of this page.
Joanne Votaw, whose father had passed away, asked her “uncle” Harold Votaw to give her away at her wedding to Kenny Camp. I served as the ringbearer for the ceremony at First Friends Church.
This Christmas card was issued by Clayton and Alma in 1968, the year of their 50th anniversary. Their two children and their families are included in the photo: Don and Shirley Votaw’s family on the left, and Marlin and Arline Davis’ family on the right.
Harold and Mildred Votaw, my grandparents, pose with Will and Vera (Votaw) Boyce in this photo. I remember that Uncle Will always wore a bow tie. Auntie Vera (I don’t know why she was always “Auntie” and not “Aunt”) was my grandfather’s older sister.
0 Comments