Week 18 - Tradition - Porter cufflinks

My dad, William Nathaniel Porter (October 10, 1917 - December 17, 1970) enlisted with the Army Reserves from Flandreau, SD back in 1940 and was a part of the 147th Field Artillery division. When he returned home in 1945 after three years in the South Pacific campaign, the maternal uncle that he was named for, Nathaniel B Dillingham, gave him a pair of Black Hills gold cufflinks that had been handed down to him.

Dad moved to Michigan later that year and married my mom in 1946. On his wedding day he wore those cufflinks. And so, a tradition was started.

I am the middle of five daughters. Dad was alive to walk #2 daughter down the aisle wearing those magical cufflinks but unfortunately passed away before any of the others were married. That oldest son-in-law wore them when he walked the other four daughters down the aisle. Since that time, the fathers of any granddaughters have worn them to walk her down the aisle. And if it was a grandson who was the groom, he has worn them. We even have a great-granddaughter whose dad was able to actually wear them twice. Once for himself and once as the father of the bride. So far, they have been worn 20 times.

Mom and Dad were married 24 years before he died. And the rest of us sisters? We have all been married to our first loves. With anniversaries of 36, 52, 51, 43 and 40 years so far; and grandchildren starting their upwards count - I guess we can say that those cufflinks have been a wonderful good luck charm. And are we superstitious? Well, so far no one has wanted to break the tradition!

Barbie