BioM: Thompson, Donna (1963)

Contact: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Thompson, Backe, Rogers, Eckstrom, Snyder, Devine

----Source: OWEN ENTERPRISE (Owen, Clark County, Wis.) 05/30/1963

Thompson, Donna (18 MAY 1963)

Given in marriage by her father, Miss Donna Thompson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Herman Thompson of Gilman, became the bride of John Backe, son of Mr. and Mrs. Chris A. Backe of Withee (Clark Co., Wis.) on Saturday, May 18, 1963, at 2:00 o’clock in the afternoon.  The double ring ceremony was performed by the Rev. Beryl Knudsen at Nazareth Lutheran Church in Withee.  Mrs. Knudsen sang "I Love You Truly" during the ceremony, accompanied by Miss Louise Hansen at the organ.  The altar flower arrangements were done by Mrs. V.A. Hansen, as were the flower arrangements on the reception tables.

The bride wore a floor length silk organza gown with short train, featuring applique designs, with a tucked panel decorating the front of the gown.  The bodice was of lace with a Sabina neckline edged with seed pearls.  Her fingertip veil was fastened to a tiara of crystals and rhinestones, and she carried a bouquet of red and white roses with sprints of lily of the valley and white streamers.

Miss Carol Rogers of Chippewa Falls, a close friend of the bride, was maid of honor, and bridesmaids were Miss Joan Backe of Evanston, Ill., sister of the groom, and Miss Beverly Thompson of Gilman, sister of the bride.  The maid of honor’s gown was Nile green and the bridesmaids’ of identical design in peach.  Street length dresses of nylon over taffeta were chose with their skirts fashioned with semi-overskirt with soft unpressed pleats in the back.  Their crowns were of cabbage roses with tulle petals and pearlized leaves with bustle veils.  Colonial bouquets of carnations with colors of Nile green and peach were carried by the bridesmaid.

A niece of the bride’s, Sherry Eckstrom, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Eckstrom of Jump River, was the flower girl.  Her gown was floor length, tiered with a fingertip veil.  She carried a bouquet of red roses in miniature identical to the bride’s.

Attending the groom was Jim Snyder of Eau Claire as best man.  Groomsmen were Herbert Thompson, a brother of the bride from Bloomer, and Robert Bakke, Owen, a friend of the groom’s.  They wore black suits with black bow ties.  The groom wore a white dinner jacket with black trousers and black bow tie.

Ushers for the wedding were David Devine, a friend of the groom’s, and David Thompson, a brother of the bride’s.

The bride’s mother was dressed in a beige lace dress with matching accessories.  The groom’s mother wore a gold trimmed estron dress with white accessories.  They each had a corsage of pink and whit miniature roses.  The grandmother of the bride, Mrs. Margie Thompson of Bloomer, was attired in a navy blue dress with a feathered carnation corsage.

Following the ceremony a reception was held in the Nazareth Lutheran Church Hall.  Guests attending the wedding were from Withee, Gilman, Jump River, Owen, Colby, Menomonie, Wauwatosa, Bloomer, Chippewa Falls, Eau Claire, Evanston, Ill., Highland Park, Ill., Salem, Oregon, St. Paul, Minn., Greenwood, Thorp and Cornell.

The groom attended the Withee Grade School and the Owen-Withee High School, graduating in 1957.  He attended the Wis. State College at Eau Claire.  He is now employed by Remington Rand Univac in St. Paul.

The newlyweds will make their home in St. Paul, Minn.