Home From the War and a New Car

Homer came home to Oklahoma a few days after he return from Korea on June 6, 1951.  I remember the first thing he did was to buy a new car.  I was so excited for the opportunity for my first ride in Uncle Homer's new car.  I remember it was blue and maybe a Plymouth and I thought it was the prettiest car I had ever seen!   My grandparents owned a little black Plymouth Coupe which didn't have much of a back seat, and since I was  beginning to grow taller by then, that Coupe was a little too cramped for three people, especially me, but Grandpa Riddle kept that car for a very long time--I think I was around 13 or 14 before he traded for a Cheverlet sedan.  You can imagine my excitement when I rode in my favorite uncle's beautiful blue car with a real back seat!

Needless to say, I was pretty jealous when the second thing he did was to begin dating someone.   He had known Opal Juanita Plank all his life, and I think they were corresponding not long before he came home. Opal, like Homer, had a failed marriage when she was very young and she was living with her parents in Muldrow.  Opal had a little baby girl who was just a few months old at that time.  I remember meeting Opal one day with her baby, Joy, when she stopped by to visit my Grandma Riddle.  She brought Joy with her to meet us and I thought she was just the cutest baby I had ever seen.  She and Grandma visited for a long time that day while I played with the baby.  I'm not sure why Opal stopped by, but I think she had been on a few dates with Homer and just wanted to visit with my Grandma--maybe get to know the family better.  

Opal was very pretty and genuinely easy to like.  I didn't think much about it at the time because I really didn't know or even suspect what was really going on.  I don't know how many dates they had been on by that time, but I guess it was serious and they were already discussing marriage.  My Grandma Riddle liked Opal because she had known about her all of her life and her family as well.  Opal had also been through  a failed marriage, but she came from a good, loving family and was welcomed into our family by my grandparents, but not me, at first anyway.  I was a little skeptical, cute baby or not, that this woman might be the one taking my Uncle Homer away from me.  These first feelings I had changed over time and I began to fall in love her too, and loved her very much thoughout the rest of her life.

Homer Y, Riddle and Opal Juanita Plank were married on July 5, 1951.  I recently learned from their daughter, Cheri, that they wanted to be married on July 4, but it was a holiday and the Justice of Peace wasn't working that day!  

There was a nice reception for them at the her parents' home that day.  Aunt Opal looked lovely and Uncle Homer was obviously very happy.  I really wasn't happy especially after I saw them kissing in the dining room, so I went into the kitchen and tried to hide in a corner hoping no one would see me crying.  However, my precious Uncle Homer found me and he put his arms around me and told me not to worry because he still loved me and would always be there for me.