Mary Bernelle McClellan and W.H. Pittard, Jr. had known each other since they were teenagers. Their high school athletic teams contested each other in all sports. Her high school was Mozelle High School and his high school was Buffalo High School, Coleman County, Texas. Also, W.H. ‘Dub’ Pittard’s Uncle Edwin and his wife, Mildred, lived near the Elijah Shanklin McClellan family in the Hill Community, Coleman County, Texas and in the summers, W. H. ‘Dub’ enjoyed visiting his Uncle Edwin and Aunt Mildred!

W.H. ‘Dub’ Pittard graduated from Buffalo High School, Coleman County, Texas in May, 1941. In December, he enlisted in the US Army and served throughout World War II in the 85th Division-Custer Division in a tank unit. On May 5, 1944 he became a prisoner of war and remained a prisoner of war in Germany until May 3, 1945.

On December 24, 1945, Mary Bernell McClellan married W.H. Pittard, Jr. in Brownwood, Texas, Brown County, Texas. . .twenty one days after W.H.(called ‘Dub’) had been dismissed from his duties in the U.S. Army on December 3, 1945. They were married in the home of Pastor Fields in Brownwood, Texas. Pastor Fields was pastor of the Liberty Baptist Church, which was located in the Liberty Community, Coleman, County, Texas where W.H.’Dub’ had lived with his father and mother, W.H.(Will Henry) Pittard, Sr. and Janie, lived and farmed. Attending the wedding ceremony were Anna Jewel (McClellan) McMinn, Bernelle’s sister, Anna Jewel’s husband, Douglas McMinn, Alice Copeland, an aunt of W.H. “Dub” Pittard, and Harold Banks, a close friend of the bride and groom. The wedding party had to wait for Pastor Fields, because he was one hour late for the ceremony!