As unlikely as it sounds, R. Hugh “Pat” Uhlmann might never have met his bride if he hadn’t attended Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, which was an all-male school back in the 1930s. His roommates were a pair of brothers, Bucks and Bobby Weil from Montgomery, Alabama. Pat visited their home – and fell for their sister Helen Jane Weil, who had graduated from the Finch School in New York and attended Wellesley College. He asked for her hand in marriage, and her father approved. The Weil brothers lost a roommate, and gained a brother-in-law. Miss Weil became Mrs. Uhlmann in a ceremony at the Pierre in New York on November 10, 1938. The two would call Our Town home. Helen Jane and Pat were the parents of three children: Patricia Carol “Trish” Uhlmann Rich, John Weil Uhlmann and Robert Uhlmann. The Uhlmanns loved to entertain, and Pat took a fiendish delight in planning practical jokes. Once, Helen Jane and Pat arranged to host a gathering for a couple from out of town named the Pechters. For some reason, the guests of honor were unable to attend. Rather than cancel the festivities, the Uhlmanns decided to have a Pechter-less Pechter party. The success of the first one led to a series of parties, complete with songs, stories and even paintings, but, alas, with no Pechters. Helen Jane and Pat enjoyed more than 57 years of married life.

One day in the early 1960s, Lester Siegel, Jr.’s mother, Frieda Levy Siegel, mentioned to him that Trish Uhlmann was in town. Lester told his friend, Marvin Lewis Rich, “You’ll like Trish.” That was an understatement. Trish and Marvin hit it off so well that they were married on August 31, 1963 at her parents’ home. Trish, a Sunset Hill alumna, was a graduate of Goucher College. Her bridegroom was nearly eight years older, a Mizzou and Harvard Law School graduate. In time, two daughters – Helen Alison (known as Alison) and Meredith Lynne – joined the family. Meredith’s godparents are Myra and Lester Siegel, Jr. Entertaining was very much part of Trish and Marvin’s life. They enjoyed inviting guests to black-tie dinners and then serving messy but delicious take-out from Winstead’s and Arthur Bryant’s. 

When people ask Meredith and Jon Angrist where they met, the answer is, “Under the sink.” Meredith and Jon were both students at Tulane University. Trish was helping her daughter move into an off-campus duplex, which housed four girls and four boys. Jon dropped in to introduce himself as a fellow resident – and stayed to help install the paper towel holder under the sink. Later, when Meredith was out, Trish left the keys with Jon. She also mentioned Jon favorably in a note she left for Meredith. Still, who wants to risk dating a neighbor at college? Well, Jon did, and so did Meredith, although she hesitated at first. After they completed their studies, the two were wed at The New Reform Temple in 1994. Meredith and Jon recently celebrated their 24th anniversary. The eldest of their four children will be off to college soon. As hard as it may be for this scribe to believe, it won’t be long before they’ll have their own stories of meeting someone special and falling in love. When that happens, we hope you’ll be able to “Say you saw it in The Independent!” 

Also featured in the June 23, 2018 issue of The Independent
By Heather N. Paxton