As a compliment to our current exhibition, And the Bride Wore…, we have chosen to highlight some of the wedding stories of the brides both featured in the gallery and those that were unable to be put on display. This is the first in a series of posts that will showcase these women, their stories, and the gowns they wore.
Dolores G. Kathman and Thomas C. Deinlein
Dolores Kathman was born on October 18, 1924 in Cincinnati, Ohio and lived there her entire life. She graduated from Commercial High School in 1941. She would then work as a bookkeeper, for a CPA and later as an executive secretary for the head of an advertising agency. Dolores was one of five children, with three brothers and one sister. According to her diary, she met Thomas Deinlein on a double date on February 21, 1943.
Thomas Deinlein was born February 16, 1921 in Cincinnati, Ohio. He attended St. Xavier High School for his Freshman and Sophomore years on a two year scholarship that he won competitively. The tuition proved too high, however, for the final two years and he had to work during the day and attend school at night. Thomas graduated from East Night School in 1940. Thomas served in the 70th Construction Battalion Pacific Division from early 1942 until the end of World War II. Following the war, he worked as a professional surveyor for the city of Cincinnati for 40 years.
Thomas and Dolores were married at St. Leo Roman Catholic Church in Cincinnati on June 29, 1946. They had become engaged on June 7, 1944. The bride wore an ivory wedding dress with gauze, and seed and bugle bead trim at neckline. It had a jewel neckline and sheer yoke with beaded leaf motives around neck and at bust level. There was a draped bertha around shoulders extend from motif around back. Thomas and Dolores had a powerful love story that was tragically cut short by Dolores’ passing of a brain aneurysm at age 42 in 1967. While their marriage may have been relatively brief, their family was close knit and their legacy lives on in their son, Terry Deinlein.
Marlise Schoeny
This story only scratches the surface of what a love story they had. Everything about Dolores was elegant and fun all wrapped into one loving woman. Tom adored her and never gave up on her memory. …. never. Her son, Terry, carries on her legacy with his boisterous laugh and love of life. Thank you for spot lighting this couple. Their inspiration lives on.