Miss Ula May West and Joseph C. Ludlum Wed Nov 10 at Palm Beach
In the chapel of the United States Coast Guard training station, Palm Beach, Fla., Friday evening, Nov. 10, at 8 o’clock, Seaman First Class Ula May West of the SPARS, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. G. H. West of Webster City, became the bride of Seaman Second Class Joseph C. Ludlum, USCGR, son of Mr. and Mrs. E. C. Ludlum of Bradenton, Fla. Both bride and bridegroom are members of the coast guard reserve and both are stationed at the United States Coast Guard training station in Pam Beach.
Chaplain Charles H. Rey performed the ceremony at the altar, on which were placed candelabra. Before and during the ceremony, there were vocal selections by Hospital Apprentice Second Class Shirley Plaice of Westfield, Mass. accompanied by Musician Third Class Jean McCain of Hayward, Cal.
The bride, who wore her dress white SPAR uniform, was given in marriage by Captain W. W. Kenner, commanding officer of the training station. She was attended by Musician Third Class Arlene Lentz of Hillsboro, Ore. Fireman Second Class Andrew Zetsch of New Orleans, also stationed at the training station, served as best man. Two SPARS, Musician Third Class Marjorie Smith of Dunlap, Iowa, and Musician Third Class Mildred Grosse of Olean, N. Y., were the ushers.
Before joining SPARS on Dec. 28, 1943, the bride was employed for a time as operator by the Bell Telephone Co. here. After taking her boot training for the SPARS in Palm Beach, she remained at the station as a member of the band.
Seaman Ludlum, a graduate of Bradenton high school, joined the coast guard in February, 1943. He took his boot training at St. Augustine, Fla., and went to Fort Robinson, Crawford, Neb., for dog patrol training. Later he returned to St. Augustine and is now stationed in Palm Beach.
Source: Daily Freeman Journal, Webster City, IA - Nov. 14, 1944 (picture included)
Ula May West was born Aug. 31, 1923, in Webster City, Iowa, to Guilford Herbert and Dora Lourene ‘Lourene’ Holt West. She had one sister, Dorene ‘Dee’ Mourlam and one brother, David West.
She graduated from Lincoln High School in Webster City, Iowa and attended Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. Before joining the Coast Guard she was engaged in presenting musical programs and lectures on the history of musical instruments to school and club groups.
Ula May took her boot training for the SPARS in Palm Beach, Florida, and remained at the station, playing trombone, as a member of the band.
Nov. 10, 1944 Seaman First Class West married Joseph C, Ludlum, Seaman Second Class, United States Coast Guard. Joe is the son of Mr. and Mrs. E. C. Ludlum, Bradenton, Florida.
During her time in the Coast Guard she was also stationed in Washington, D.C. She received an honorable discharge in 1945 as a musician third class.
In 1947 Joe and Ula May had a son, Bruce.
Ula May died Mar. 5, 1997. Her last known address was Fort Collins, Colorado.
Sources: Information compiled from articles in the Daily Freeman Journal, Webster City, IA and Ancestry.com
