Corrie and Willie Earl Paramore Eloped 60 Years Ago !!

By Donna Paramore

On June 10, 1949 Willie Earl Paramore talked Corrie Woodham into running off to Donaldsonville together for the purpose of getting married. They were married on that day at the Donaldsonville, Georgia Courthouse.

Willie Earl had just returned home from WW II, where according to him, he and John Wayne had singlehandedly won the War in Europe, which included capturing Hitler’s famous Eagle’s Nest in Germany. (That will be another story in another issue.)

Upon release from the service, Willie Earl returned to his home in Midland City, Alabama, finished high school, and was about to enter Auburn University. Corrie Woodham was then a vibrant 18 year old student at Troy State University, and had also been Willie Earl’s high school sweetheart. After much begging and use of his renowned story telling abilities, he finally talked Corrie into the elopement.

Later that summer they moved to Auburn and Willie Earl enrolled in the College of Pharmacy. A year later they welcomed their first son, Scott into the world. After graduation, they moved to Meridian, Mississippi where Willie Earl began practicing pharmacy.

Finally, in 1953, Willie Earl, Corrie, and their three year old son, Scott moved to Marianna, where Willie Earl began working at the popular Hightower Drug Store. In 1957 their second son, John was born, and two years later the couple bought Davis Drugs and moved the pharmacy out to 5th Avenue, where Hair by Heart is located.

In 1966 to their delight, they finally had a daughter, Leigh. Willie Earl and Corrie operated Paramore’s Pharmacy until 1985, when he sold the business to his son Scott, who by then was thirty five years old and was also an experienced pharmacist. Last year Paramore’s Pharmacy celebrated its 50th anniversary.

This past weekend, on Saturday, June 13 approximately 110 friends and family assembled at the home of Scott and Donna Paramore to celebrate Corrie and Willie Earl’s sixtieth wedding anniversary. They were surrounded by their children, Scott and Donna Paramore, John and Dr. Jolene Paramore, Leigh Paramore, their grandchildren, Jeff and wife Fabiana Paramore, Dr. Susan Crompton and husband Jay, Jordanne Love and Jarrod McFredrick. There were also three great grandchildren at the party, Stephanie and Isabella Paramore, and Sam Crompton.
Corrie and Willie Earl both come from large families, each having nine brothers and sisters. Representatives from most of these families were also there. It was an evening of loving and sharing between families and friends.