One family has withstood the passing of time by keeping a cherished custom that dates back more than seven decades,

even when fashions come and go. A classic bridal gown that has been handed down from bride to bride has come to represent love, family, and enduring bonds.

On September 16, 1950, Adele Larson wore a satin gown with a mandarin collar, a lace panel gracing the front and back, and tiny,

delicate buttons as she entered the church to wed Roy Stoneber. The outfit was found by Adele in Chicago’s renowned Marshall Field’s retail store.

She had no idea that this beautiful dress would go on to become a priceless heritage that future generations would love.

Despite the $100.75 price tag appearing modest by today’s standards, it possessed tremendous sentimental and traditional significance.

Elly Larson, Adele’s sister, also made the decision to put on the treasured garment when she was getting ready to say ‘I do’ to John Milton in June 1953.

Elly rejected her mother’s advice to buy a new wedding dress because she already owned Adele’s. The clothing thus took on a new meaning as a representation of love and family harmony.

When Sharon Larson married John Frank in May 1969, she followed in the sisters’ footsteps as the third bride to wear the dress. When asked about her choice,

Sharon stressed the pride and excitement she experienced while wearing the garment, which she first saw when she was five years old and again when she was eight.

It wasn’t a matter of duty to her; rather, it was a celebration of shared traditions and family ties. It was a delightful and sensible decision that artfully merged the past and current.

The subsequent generation was the next leg of the dress’s historical journey. Adele Stoneberg’s daughter

Sue Stoneberg honored the gown and the close relationship she had with her mother by walking down the aisle in it in 1982.

When Carol Milton, Elly’s daughter, wed Lawrence Zmuda in 1990, she donned the attire. Carol made a decision that

was both easy and firm because she had a great deal of respect for the women who had worn it before her.

According to Bride, Carol stated, ‘I never gave it a second thought to get any other dress than the one I had.’

‘I simply loved my mom, my cousin, and my aunts. Simply said, it was an expression of, ‘I’m wearing what they wore.’ Simply said, it wasn’t a decision.

Carol’s sister Jean Milton experienced the same draw of the family custom and decided to wear the dress the following year when she married Tom Ellis.

Julie Frank Mackey, Sharon’s daughter and Adele’s niece, wore the outfit in February 2013 while paying homage to her ancestors’ contributions to fashion.

Julie adorned the dress with a ribbon hem and an open neckline to make it distinctively her own while yet recognizing its ageless beauty.

In order to preserve the bridal gown’s immaculate state for future generations, the women committed it to the care of

skilled cleaners and carefully kept it. Sharon accepted the duty of protecting the clothing and used her sewing abilities to make sure it would last.