The Anna Maria Island Sun Newspaper


Vol. 16 No. 31 - June 1, 2016

FEATURE

Octogenarian succumbs to marriage fever

Anna Maria Island Sun News Story

Tom vaught | sun

Members of the Arne's Army Barbershop Quartet, left,
sing for Mr. and Mrs. John Polking after their marriage
last Saturday at St. Bernard Catholic Church.

HOLMES BEACH – A group of men who formed a pact during grad school at the University of Chicago watched the last of its ranks become a groom at St. Bernard Catholic Church Saturday afternoon. The twist to this story is that they are all in their 80s.

The groom, John Polking, a retired math professor from Rice University, married Agnas "Stevie" Coppin, of Anna Maria.

When the group, known as the Natty Bumppo Society, decided to do something for Polking and his new bride, they hired Arne's Army Barbershop of the Sandpiper Chorus to serenade the couple as they came out the front door of the chapel.

The Quartet – Jim Craig, Ken Geisinger, Arne Hansen and Glen Moon – sang "Let Me Call You Sweetheart" as they watched and laughed.

After the ceremony and before they emerged from the church, Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy read a Certificate of De-bachelorization

According to Coppin, she met Polking when they both took a vacation to Turkey. The romance got serious, and now Polking is no longer a bachelor. Call him happily married.


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