So. Calif. couple unlawfully wedded for 48 years
REDLANDS, Calif. (AP) - After spending nearly a half-century as husband and wife, Bob and Norma Clark are finally married.
The couple from Redlands, an inland California city halfway between Los Angeles and Palm Springs, celebrated their 48th anniversary in August, and in November they were getting their end-of-life documents in order and sought a copy of their marriage license for Social Security purposes.
The Clarks, who met in college, took their vows at a church south of San Francisco in August 1964, shortly after Bob had served in the Army during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
But when clerks at the Hall of Records in San Mateo County tried to pull the license last month, they came up empty.
"They went back to the year 1956, but no record of our marriage could be found," Bob Clark told the Redlands Daily Facts.
The church where they had married still had a record of the ceremony so they knew they hadn't imagined it, and several of the couple's family members and friends who had been wedding guests were about to come to town for Thanksgiving.
On Nov. 21 they made their marriage legitimate, filing their paperwork and obtaining their license at the San Bernardino County Hall of Records, with the maid of honor and a junior usher from the original wedding serving as witnesses.
Bob Clark brought flowers for Norma, and at the urging of family and friends kissed the bride to seal the deal.
"I got her a nice bouquet, and it was just a hoot," he said.
The couple from Redlands, an inland California city halfway between Los Angeles and Palm Springs, celebrated their 48th anniversary in August, and in November they were getting their end-of-life documents in order and sought a copy of their marriage license for Social Security purposes.
The Clarks, who met in college, took their vows at a church south of San Francisco in August 1964, shortly after Bob had served in the Army during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
But when clerks at the Hall of Records in San Mateo County tried to pull the license last month, they came up empty.
"They went back to the year 1956, but no record of our marriage could be found," Bob Clark told the Redlands Daily Facts.
The church where they had married still had a record of the ceremony so they knew they hadn't imagined it, and several of the couple's family members and friends who had been wedding guests were about to come to town for Thanksgiving.
On Nov. 21 they made their marriage legitimate, filing their paperwork and obtaining their license at the San Bernardino County Hall of Records, with the maid of honor and a junior usher from the original wedding serving as witnesses.
Bob Clark brought flowers for Norma, and at the urging of family and friends kissed the bride to seal the deal.
"I got her a nice bouquet, and it was just a hoot," he said.
Well, what this story really is saying is that between them and their community, they were married because they chose to be with witnesses. Â The government benefits, however, weren't supposed to be attached to them even though there was some funny business with paperwork because of an old clerical error. Â The two (marriage and government benefits) are not the same thing. Â Want to be married? Â Do it. Â Want government benefits? Â Beg and borrow from the clerk. Â Sad.
Someone owes the government a lot of back taxes!
Married "lawfully" or not, it will also between those two. Glad they got it taken care of eventually.
This would be a nightmare for me, my wife would make me "woo" her again, I saw it happen on the Flintstones and it's not pleasant for Fred.
 @Insomniac Dreams Oh, come on, you're going to try and tell us that those gigantic, plate-overlapping barbecued ribs aren't worth a little wooing now and again?Â
What happened to common law marriage?
Not all states recognize common law marriage. Washington doesn't. The SSA doesn't recognize a common law marriage in states where common law marriages are recognized.
Finally made an honest woman out of her.... Great story!