For unknown reasons, the future nuptials for Russ and Carol, announced in the Saginaw News as a 1963 spring wedding, did not occur. Russ had gotten into minor legal issues, but nothing that would have delayed a planned wedding. Both Russ and Carol were young. Russ was only 18 years old, and Carol was probably a year younger. Their youth and Russ’s volatility could have led to an unanticipated breakup, or the delay could have been caused by the immaturity of two young lovers. I am sure that the idea of being married at a very young age was romanticized between the two of them, but the reality probably became daunting.
I only met Carol a few times, but she seemed incredibly nice and attractive. At the time, she was in high school, and whenever anyone asked about her, the gratuitous comment was “she is really stacked.” Given her smaller frame, her breasts became a point of recognition. Looking back on life in the 1960s, breasts became an overt object of attention, especially for pubescent boys. Even the first episode of the TV show about the 1960s, Happy Days, has Fonzie showing teenage boys how to quickly unhook a bra. I vaguely remember my mother once referring to Carol as “stacked” rather than describing her in terms of positive qualities she may have possessed. Given Russ’s discussions with me about sex, I can fully understand why he was attracted to Carol.
In September 1963, Russ and Carol married. I did not attend the wedding because Russ no longer lived in our house and the relationship between my mother and Russ’s dad was faltering. I suspect their marriage was rushed because their daughter, Wendy, was born five months after the wedding, in February 1964. Russ became a father at 19.
A month before Wendy was born, Russ was arrested and fined for leaving the scene of an accident. I heard from my mother that Russ had also gotten into trouble over a relationship he had with an underage girl. I have not been able to substantiate that allegation, but aside from it, the next several years for Russ seem to have been relatively quiet from a legal standpoint. As a 23-year-old, he was rescued after the boat he was riding in exploded in the Saginaw River. As a 24-year-old, he was charged with reckless driving after hitting a tree. Two years later, at 26, he pled guilty to illegal use of artificial light and a gun to shoot a deer. None of these incidents, by themselves, would be overly concerning, but Russ had a predilection for risky behavior and incidents involving the legal system.
Next week: The Saga of Russ continues, and he is finally charged with a very serious crime.
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