Barrons

The formality of a proxy marriage was entered into by appellee, June Alger Barrens (also known as June Alger Goodwin) with Lieutenant William J. Barrens, on the 20th day of July 1944 in the city of Reno, State of Nevada. On July 27, 1944 Lieutenant Barrons was killed in action. Prior to his death the deceased had changed the beneficiary of a National Service Life Insurance policy held by him to June Alger Barrons, designating her as his wife. Appellee received payments of the proceeds from the policy until 1948. The payments were then suspended because the right thereto of appellee was challenged by appellant, the father of the deceased.

This action, in the nature of an interpleader, was instituted in the District Court by

the United States for the purpose of having .a judicial determination as to which of the claimants is entitled to the proceeds of the policy.

Appellee qualifies as a beneficiary only if she is the “widow” of the late William J. Barrens within the meaning of 38 U.S.C.A. § 802 (g). Her claim rests upon the validity of the proxy marriage performed in Nevada. The facts appear in detail in the opinion of the District Court reported in 91 F.Supp. 319 . Here, it…