Wedding Portraits: Arthur Murosky & Mary Eugenia McDonald

The marriage of Arthur and Mary Eugenia blended two Catholic families from different cultural backgrounds. Arthur descended from Polish and Lithuanian families that had settled in Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania where Arthur was born. He was the son of Anthony Harry Murosky, Jr. and Helen Tillie Bukowski. Mary Eugenia descended from French, German and Irish families that had settled in Clarion County, Pennsylvania. She was born in Strattanville, Clarion County, Pennsylvania. Her parents, Loraine Anthony McDonald and Frances Philomena Selker, relocated to Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania in the 1920's in search of work.

There are some known details about how Arthur and Mary Eugenia met. When interviewed in the late 1990's Arthur indicated he initially met  Mary Eugenia in 1936 when they were both checking out books at the Wilson Library. He said:  "I met Jean at the Wilson Library.  We used to hang out there and walk the girls home."  Arthur would have been 17 and Mary Eugenia would have been 14.

The "we" Arthur mentions may be his group of friends he called "The Gang". Included in "The Gang" were Arthur, Gene, Fred and a girl named Charlotte. It is plausible "The Gang" was at the library that day. Charlotte was best friends with Mary Eugenia. The girl's friendship may explain how Arthur became acquainted with Mary Eugenia.

It isn't known exactly when the courtship between the couple started. The Wilson Library Arthur mentions is most likely the library associated with the current Woodrow Wilson Middle School located at 718 E. 28th Street. The school is about one mile from 422 E. 19th Street (near the intersection of 19th Street and Parade Street) where Mary Eugenia was living with her family in 1940. The 2-story home had a second floor porch where Arthur said the couple would "sit and smooch while courting."

Arthur Murosky and Mary Eugenia McDonald were married August 9, 1941 at 9 o'clock in the morning at St. John's Roman Catholic Church in Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania. Arthur was 22 years old and Mary Eugenia was 19 years old when they were married. A grouping of formal portraits were taken to commemorate the marriage. The couple remained inseparable for their fifty-six years of marriage. After Mary Eugenia's death in 1998 Arthur never remarried and he always kept her photograph by his bedside.

Arthur & Mary Eugenia
Black and White Portrait

Mary Eugenia
Color Portrait

Mary Eugenia
Black and White Portrait

Wedding Party
Back (L-R): Edward V. Murosky (Groomsman and Brother of the Groom), Arthur Murosky (Groom), Mary Eugenia McDonald (Bride), Loraine Anthony McDonald (Father of the Bride), 
Frances Winifred McDonald (Maid of Honor and Sister of the Bride), 
Ray McCosky (Best Man and Groom's best friend), Harry Anthony Murosky (Groomsman and brother of the groom)

Front (L-R): Dorothy Elizabeth McDonald (Flower Girl and Sister of the Bride), Eleanor Lucille McDonald (Bridesmaid), Rita Ann Murosky (Bridesmaid and Sister of the Groom), 
Marian Elaine Murosky (Flower Girl and Sister of the Groom)

From the Mary Eugenia McDonald Collection. Photographer Unknown. Editing and digital restoration by Michelle M. Murosky.

Arthur Murosky is my paternal grandfather. He was the son of Anthony Harry Murosky, Jr. and Helen Tillie Bukowski. Mary Eugenia McDonald is my maternal grandmother. She was the daughter of Loraine Anthony McDonald and Frances Philomena Selker. 

References:

1. Personal interview with Arthur Murosky, late 1990's.
2. Special thanks to family friend Debi Johnson who during the summer of 2014 asked Arthur questions. Some of these details would be unknown without her.
3. 1940 United States Federal Census.Year: 1940; Census Place: Erie, Erie, Pennsylvania; Roll: T627_3650; Page: 3A; Enumeration District: 68-77. Record for Loraine McDonald.