Allen Ivan Peters and Harriet Simonsen -- 63 years

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Allen Ivan Peters and Harriet Simonsen -- 63 years.

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Allen Ivan Peters was born in 1916 in Walnut, Pottawattamie County, Iowa. Harriet Simonsen was born in 1918 in Hjørring, Denmark, in far northern Jutland. When she immigrated with her parents and brother Egon in July of 1927 she knew four words in English: ‘thank you,’ ‘please’ and ‘apple pie.’ ~~ Harriet and Allen became engaged before World War II. Harriet waited for Allen for four years while he served in New Guinea with the US Army. When he came home they married almost immediately, on August 30, 1945. Alice and Egon Simonsen were their attendants. Their wedding day was so warm that there was a pool of water at Egon’s feet where his hand had dripped while holding onto the wedding rings. All four of the young people pooled their resources – war rationing and shortages were still in effect – including the best tires off several cars, so that the four of them could make a trip to Colorado. They were married for 63 years until Allen’s death in Sandy, Utah in 2009.

  • Photograph courtesy of Becky Mattingley, Sandy UT.

  • Photograph courtesy of Becky Mattingley, Sandy UT.