ACCM - The Tree

Me (in my Brownie sweater) and my sisters with our dog, Scottie #2

We had an artificial tree when I was growing up. It sat on a platform my father built. He would put up the platform and then nail train tracks to it. There were little houses, trees, and fake snow in the little village on the platform too. After the platform and train set were up the tree was next.

The tree had individual branches the fit into the "trunk" and it was incredibly painful to put together. It took what seemed like forever to get up. Of course, "forever" was most likely only a few hours, but to a kid it was an eternity!

We put colored lights on the tree as well as garland and "icicles" made of tinsel. Our ornaments were old-fashioned glass balls with bright colors and white glitter. We also had some non-traditional ornaments that were given to us. My "Nana," Hazel Blum had made us each an egg-shaped ornament that she decoupaged little magazine clippings of things that we liked. Various toys, dolls, and Christmas-y items.

When I went to live with my mother she had a real tree. It was a novelty for me. A real live tree in the house! And after years of having fake the only thing I could think was that it didn't look "perfect" like a Christmas tree should! There were holes and gaps in the branches for goodness sake! Oh, but my mom could work wonders with the tree! The ornaments were hung and baby's breath was put on the branches to look like snow. It was gorgeous! The ornaments filled in those gaps and the tree looked perfect...and smelled wonderful! The ornaments were a mixture of balls and shaped items. It was eclectic...just the way I think it should be!

My tree-top angel. Just taken out of
storage for a photo for this post!

I know many people get obsessed about making sure their trees are perfect. They color coordinate the ribbon and the ornaments and everything is put in its proper place. These trees are quite beautiful, but they aren't me. The Christmas tree represents the family and is filled with things the family likes. We've got a great Grinch ornament for my hubby (it made a nice joke-present). We've got ceramic ornaments that I painted when I was first off on my own. We've got Disney ornaments too. Our tree is filled with everything from beautiful ornaments to cute ornaments that represent where we've been or what we like. Each year I buy my boys an ornament. It's become something of a tradition. I mark the ornament in an inconspicuous place with their name or initial. When they grow up and move out, they'll get to keep the ornaments they collected as the grew up.

Our tree is a pre-lit artificial one (the hubby is allergic to real ones), but it's nice to see that the fake trees look more realistic than they did when I was little. It gets put up each year on Thanksgiving weekend. It's the earliest my husband will permit it. I love sitting in one of my living room chairs with the tree lit, the fireplace on, and a cup of hot cocoa in my hand. We top our tree with an angel just like I did when I was younger. My first angel had lights in her hands. My current one has no lights. They're always the first thing to go and I'm tired of replacing my angel if the lights can't be fixed!

What about you? Do you put up a tree? Is it real or artificial? Multi-colored lights or one color? Angel or star?

Happy Black Friday (Cut Out the Humbug!)

(This is a repost. There's lots of grumbling about Black Friday, but people still partake. Just remember what the season is about. Perhaps this post will help!)

Is saying "Happy Black Friday" a contradiction?  I don't think so.  I hear so many people grumpy about Christmas music and items being in stores before Thanksgiving.  I'm an early shopper.  I like to get it all done preferably before Thanksgiving. Once Thanksgiving hits you've got a month to get everything done, and I'd prefer to spend that time decorating the house and baking cookies.  I want my children to have the wonderful holiday experiences that I did when I was younger.  Far too many people rush into the over-crowded stores to do holiday shopping and are in anything but a holiday spirit.  It makes me wonder how it was for my parents.  For their parents...and so on.  I'll have to talk to my mother and mother-in-law about that one.  What was it like?

I like to think of snowy, peaceful streets and shoppers strolling through stores.  Parents baking cookies for excited children.  I do tend to romanticize things though.  I know my mother and her siblings have long commented on how exact "A Christmas Story" was to their reality!

Today, for most people, marks the beginning of the Christmas season.  I know that my sisters-in-law and mother-in-law will most likely be heading out to Bath and Body Works (and various stores throughout the Green Bay area) in search of some great bargains.  I have fond memories of going with them (venturing out on Black Friday was something I never would have considered before becoming a part of the Cayemberg family!).  There are enough grumpy people out there today, but my Green Bay family are simply shining lights on a knock-down, drag-out shopping day.

I clearly recall sharking through the parking lot for a space at the mall and my SIL Lori rolls down the window in the bitter Wisconsin winter.  Hanging half out the passenger window she shouts with an enormous smile and a cheer that I hadn't felt on a Black Friday...ever, "Are you heading back to your car?"  The lady smiles back and points to a spot directly in front of us and near the front doors to the department store.  Who says the Irish are lucky!  Luck of the Belgian/Germans here!  On the way out of the department store, Lori flags down the nearest person and tells them where we're pulling out. My in-laws bring smiles to people's faces wherever they go.

My father-in-law was always up early and would head out at 3:30 or 4:00am on Black Friday over some deal he saw in the newspaper on Thanksgiving day.  He seldom got the item, but he loved the adventure of it.  He had the excitement of the holidays.

Whether deals were found or missed, a nice breakfast was had and stories were told.  Truthfully I've only been in Green Bay a handful of times on Black Friday, but every time I've been there (well, and any time I'm with my in-laws) shopping is involved.  I don't think I've ever caught a truly great deal when I've gone out on Black Friday, but I'm definitely in the Christmas spirit after being out!  Could you imagine if everyone could be so kind and cheerful at the beginning of what's supposed to mark such a season?

For those who think Christmas has become too commercialized.  You need to remember that Christmas and the holidays aren't what retailers make it.  It's what you make it.  And frankly, there is usually something to be purchased because we do something special for the season.  Whether it's extra baked goods, a fresh pine tree or presents.  What you purchase is up to you.  You decide.  Not the retailers.  

This is a very traditional time of year.  Whether you "believe" in Santa visiting all the good boys and girls in a celebration of the birth of Jesus, or whether you prefer to leave Santa out of it.  If you celebrate Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, the Winter Solstice or any other winter holiday, it's a time steeped in tradition.  Have you started your own traditions or are you doing something you learned from your parents?  And if you learned it from your parents were they passing it on?  Find out.  Find out before you can no longer ask.

Maybe people need to look at the Holiday merchandise in the stores in October and the seasonal music playing early as a ramp up for their good attitudes?  Get in the Christmas spirit early.  After all shouldn't we keep Christmas throughout the year?...before we are visited by three spirits reminding us to ditch the Humbug!

Military Monday - Fort Carson GWOT Fallen Soldiers' Memorial, 2003-2004

Fort Carson GWOT Memorial stone, 2003-2004

I saw in the newspaper on Memorial weekend that Fort Carson was having a ceremony at their GWOT (Global War on Terrorism) Memorial.  While I wasn't able to attend the ceremony, I did make a point to go down there a few days later to check it out.  It really was a very nice memorial.  A few years ago I had taken photos of and transcribed the memorial at the Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery and figured that I should do the same here.

My original intention was to get the photos of this memorial up much earlier, but things happen and I was neglecting my blog at the time. Things are busy, but rolling along and it was well past time to get started on remembering these heroes. This memorial stone is for the Soldiers KIA in 2003-2004.

Roll Call

PFC Jesse A. Givens 1 May 2003

CW3 Brian K. Van Dusen 9 May 2003

CW2 Hans N. Gukeisen 9 May 2003

SGT Richard P. Carl 9 May 2003

MAJ Mathew E. Schram 26 May 2003

SGT Keman L. Mitchell 26 May 2003

SSG Michael B. Quinn 27 May 2003

SGT Thomas F. Broomhead 27 May 2003

SSG Michael E. Dooley 8 Jun 2003

SSG Andrew R. Pokorny 13 Jun 2003

SSG William T. Latham 18 Jun 2003

SGT Melissa Valles 9 Jul 2003

SPT Joshua T. Byers 23 Jul 2003

SSG Taft V. Williams 12 Aug 2003

SPC Stephen M. Scott 23 Aug 2003

PFC Vorn J. Mack 23 Aug 2003

SPC Ronald D. Allen 25 Aug 2003

CPT Brian R. Faunce 18 Sep 2003

SSG Frederick L. Miller Jr, 20 Sep 2003

SPC Tamarra  J. Ramos 1 Oct 2003

PV2 Benjamin L. Freeman 13 Oct 2003

SPC Jose L. Mora Jr, 24 Oct 2003

SSG Daniel A Bader 2 Nov 2003

SSG Ernest G. Bucklew 2 Nov 2003

SPC Darius T. Jennings 2 Nov 2003

SPC Brian H. Penisten 2 Nov 2003

SPC James R. Wolf 6 Nov 2003

SSG Dale A. Panchot 17 Nov 2003

CPL Gary B. Coleman 21 Nov 2003

SGT David J. Goldberg 26 Nov 2003

SSG Stephen A. Bertolino Sr, 29 Nov 2003

SPC Rian C. Ferguson 14 Dec 2003

SPC Nathan W. Nakis 16 Dec 2003

SPC Raymond E. Cammel 24 Dec 2003

SPC Justin W. Pollard 30 Dec 2003

CPT Eric T. Paliwoda 2 Jan 2004

CW2 Philip A. Johnson Jr, 8 Jan 2004

CW2 Ian D. Manuel 8 Jan 2004

SGT Christopher A. Golby 8 Jan 2004

SGT Michael A. DiRaimondo 8 Jan 2004

MSG Kelly L. Hornbeck 18 Jan 2004

PFC Armando Soriano 1 Feb 2004

CW2 Matthew C. Laskowski 25 Feb 2004

CW2 Stephen M. Wells 25 Feb 2004

1LT Michael R. Adams 16 Mar 2004

MSG Richard L. Ferguson 30 Mar 2004

SFC William W. Labadie Jr, 7 Apr 2004

SGT Felix M. Delgreco 9 Apr 2004

CPT Arthur L. Felder 24 Apr 2004

CW4 Patrick W. Kordsmeier 24 Apr 2004

May all of our Service Members come home for good soon!

Sunday's Obituary - Lorraine Ryan nee Kuehl

I posted a couple years back when my husband's, Aunt Lorraine was killed in a car accident. A man than never should have been behind the wheel of a car due to previous drunk driving convictions was driving. He wasn't drunk. He was on his phone and crossed the center line. Aunt Lorraine was killed and a sister that was in the passenger seat was seriously injured.

I didn't realize until recently that I had never actually posted her obituary. I want to remember her and I want others to remember her. She was a sweet, sweet woman and is missed by her family.

"Lorraine B. Ryan, 79, of Eden went to her heavenly home on Sat. May 19, 2012 at Theda Clark Hospital in Neenah. She was born November 26, 1932 in Barton, the daughter of the late Romand and Leona Boegel Kuehl. On May 24, 1952, she married Vincent Ryan at St. Kilian Catholic Church, St. Kilian. They farmed together in the town of Eden and she also worked at Mammoth Springs Canning Company in Eden. Lorraine was a member of Shepherd of the Hills Catholic Church and St. Mary's Christian Women. She worked at many of the parish's chicken dinners and enjoyed playing cards with her sisters. Most of all she enjoyed spending time with her family, especially her children and grandchildren. Survivors include her children, Diane (Richard) Blackmore of Eden, Mary (Charles) Kraft of Fond du Lac, Kathy (James) Uelmen of Kewaskum, Michael (Lori) Ryan of Eden, Patty (Mark) Watters of Fond du Lac and Joanne (Jim) Binder of Plymouth, her grandchildren, Ryan and Marissa Blackmore, Joshua, Katie, Kelly and Karissa Uelmen, Jennifer, Michelle, Matthew and Megan Ryan, Jasmine Watters and Julie and Josie Binder, her sister, Alice Wood of Eden, Helen Beisbier of Kewaskum and Dolores Cayemberg of Green Bay, other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband Vincent on June 13, 2000. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 7:00 PM, Tuesday, May 22nd at Shepherd of the Hills Catholic Church W1562 Hwy B Eden. Rev. Joseph Juknialis will officiate and burial will be Wednesday, May 23rd at 10:00 AM at St. Mary's Cemetery, Eden. Visitation will be at the church from 3:00 PM until time of Mass. Twohig Funeral Home, Fond du Lac, is serving the family with online guestbook and condolences at www.twohigfuneral.com"

Family Reunion Friday - Cayemberg Family 1951

Florence Cayemberg nee Villers with her 7 sons and 3 daughters at the
Cayemberg 14th reunion

Do my eyes deceive me? The "missing" reunion clipping. And by "missing" I mean I must have been tired and missed it because it was a post in my queue waiting to be edited.

This was a pretty significant reunion for me to "miss" in my tired-stupor to prep a post. It wasn't the 15th reunion...just the 14th, but what made it special was that all of Florence's seven sons and three daughters were there and they even got a group photo! Doesn't Florence look like one happy mom!?!?

The clipping is short and sweet, but it gives us a copy of the photo and that is incredibly special. It also says when Florence's husband, Eli, passed away. That's information I already had, but someone else might not have. It also helps to illustrate that Eli was only alive for about two of the reunions. It does make me wonder if they perhaps continued to have them to help Florence deal with his passing. They had been together for so long and perhaps the family getting together each year was a source of showing their love and remembering their parents. No doubt they loved the both to have had it continue for over 75 years!

Do you take pictures at your family reunions? Is one person in charge of taking candid shots? Do you schedule a group photo each reunion? Photos are a great way to remember the event and to show others that may have missed the reunion how much fun everyone had. If your attendance is taking a turn for the worse, make sure that you're having fun events and get pictures taken! You can post them on social media or email them out.** If you let those that missed the current year's reunion see all the fun that they missed perhaps they'll make more of an effort to get there the following year.

Taking pictures is also a great way to keep a history of the event. Create a "Family Reunion Scrapbook." It could be filled with only a few pictures each year and then you continue to add to the scrapbook year after year, or you can have a scrapbook for each year complete with a group photo, candid shots, attendance rosters and news clippings to display at future reunions.

And never forget the opportunity to take a group photo! When you send out your invitations to the reunion make sure that you state where and at what time the group photo will be taken. People like to come and go as they please. Stating when the photo will be taken will result in maximum participation. You don't want the time to be a surprise to attendees who might have other engagements earlier or later in the day that they have to be at. Family members missing a group photo because the information wasn't given to them is a sure fire way to stir up some bad feelings!

**When posting photos to social media make sure that you have permission if the site is open to the public. You especially want to avoid sharing photos of children in a public forum. There are plenty of social media sites that can be invitation only so that the general public cannot see the photos. This may seem unnecessary to many, but most parents will get quite upset about a picture of their child being in the public domain without permission. If you wish to give the local newspaper a copy of the group photo, take two. Get a group photo with everyone present and then let them know that you'll be submitting it to the newspaper and if anyone would like to not be in that photo to please step out while the second photo is taken. Easy solution!

Picture caption reads:  "Mrs. Eli Cayemberg, center in the front row, had her seven sons and three daughters with her recently when the family celebrated its 14th annual reunion in Pamperin park.  Other in the front row, from left, are:  Wilfred, Felix, Henry and Walter.  In the back row, same order, are the rest of the children:  Patrick, Mrs. Harvey Moureau, Mrs. Eli Cravillion, Mrs. Russell Anderson, Frank and Joseph."

Main article:

"Cayemberg Family Has 14th Reunion (handwritten 1951)

When the Cayemberg family reunion was held Sunday in Pamperin park, the seven sons and three daughters of Mrs. Eli Cayemberg of Pulaski were all present.  Grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and other relatives and friends brought the total number of guests at the dinner to 131.

This is the 14th annual reunion of the Cayembergs, who choose several members each year to take charge of the affair.  This year's committee consisted of Wallace Guillette of Tonet, chairman, Mrs. Loyde (sic) Cravillion, Luxemburg, and Mrs. Roland Cayemberg of Green Bay.  The affair is held the first Sunday in June each year.

The seven sons of Mrs Cayemberg are Frank, Joseph and Patrick Cayemberg of Green Bay, Henry and Wilfred, Manitowoc, Felix, Ensign, Mich., and Walter, on the family homestead in Pulaski, where Mrs. Cayemberg, who is 81, makes her home.

The daughters are Mrs. Russell Anderson and Mrs. Harvey Moureau of Green Bay, and Mrs, Eli Cravillion of Tonet.  Mr. Cayemberg died 12 years ago and a daughter, Mrs. Hubert Guillette, 30 years ago.

Eight new grandchildren, all born since the last reunion, were present at the celebration this year.  It is planned to hold it in Pamperin park again next year (sic)."

The clipping was taken from a scrapbook handed down to me by my mother in law.  No newspaper name was given, but other reunion articles were from the Green Bay Press Gazette.

Tuesday's Tip - Don't Rely on the Search Engine

Don't get angry when you don't find what you're
looking for in the main search engine. Look under
more specific databases!

So after being out of the genealogical loop for awhile I finally found the motivation (and time) to get back into things.  I started by going through my family tree and verifying that everything was sourced and had been researched to the best of my abilities.  A daunting task, but one that needed doing.  So I came across a couple in my tree that I hadn't been very good at getting information for.  I had a tombstone, knew who they belonged to by talking with family, but not much else.

I was looking at the tombstone for this couple, one Raymond and Hazel Herman buried in Union Cemetery in Dodge County, Wisconsin, when I noticed that Raymond died in 1959 at the age of about 39.  How young.  How sad.  I also noticed his wife outlived him by quite a lot and passed in 2006.  I did a search on Ancestry for Raymond Herman and got a bunch of nothing regarding his death.  This was before the SSDI really covered much so I wasn't too hopeful there.  I did find an obituary for his wife, Hazel, fairly easily.  The obit was wonderful and told me when they were married and the year for when he died.  Well, that's lovely, and very useful, but I wanted more of a date.  Even a month to go with that year would help.  A location of death would help too although looking at her obit I could narrow it down to Kohlsville, Washington County, WI.  Still I didn't want to be looking through an entire year's worth of obits to try to find Raymond.

So I jumped to the Ancestry.com homepage and clicked on the link for Birth, Marriage, and Death Records and saw a link on the far right under "Featured Collections" where I could search their entire card catalog.  I typed in "Wisconsin".  I was delighted when I saw that there was a death record index from 1959-1997.  I entered Raymond's name and it popped up as easy as that.  I have no idea why it didn't come up in my main search.  I had his name spelled the same as it appeared in the death record, but it took me actually searching that specific database to get anything.  Now I know that Raymond died on December 14th, 1959 and I can try to find an obituary or request a death certificate for him.  I need to verify that this Raymond truly was the child of Valentine and Hulda Herman.  Now I can get a little closer to doing just that.

Bottom line though...search engines can be temperamental. You can put your information into the main engine and find very little that is relevant to the person you're looking for, but if you perform the same search in a specific database, it can yield genealogical gold!

Happy hunting!

Family Reunion Friday - Cayemberg Family 1952

So my Cayemberg family reunion clippings had a gap between the 1947 and 1952 reunion. The reunion in 1952 was the 15th. Perhaps that was the reason for the gap. Perhaps the missing years were placed somewhere else or lost. Hard to tell, but I'll be looking for those years in the newspapers when I go home this December.

As you can read from the two clippings transcribed below, the Cayemberg reunions were in honor of Eli and Florence Cayemberg nee Villers and after they passed the reunions were for their descendants. Are your family reunions held in honor of someone in particular or of a family event?

"(Handwritten '1952')

Dinner was served to 132 members of the Cayemberg family at Pamperin Park, Green Bay, Sunday, Chairmen of the reunion were Patrick Cayemberg, Green Bay; Mrs. Wilfred Cayemberg and Mrs. Henry Cayemberg, Manitowoc.

A corsage and gift was presented to Mrs. Eli Cayemberg, Pulaski, who is 82 years old.  Her youngest sister, Mrs. Agnes Tardiff, Duluth, Minn., attended the reunion.  Mrs. Tardiff whose last visit to Green Bay was 38 years ago is a guest at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Martin Cayemberg, Green Bay.

Mrs. Eli Cayemberg is the mother of 10 children, three daughters and seven sons.  She has 44 grandchildren and 38 great grandchildren.  Two sons, Wilfred and Henry Cayemberg reside in Manitowoc.

One grandchild and five great grandchildren were added to the family during the past year.  Members attended from Algoma, Rio Creek, Casco, Luxemburg, Martinville, Dyckesville, Tonet, Manitowoc, Pulaski, Kunish, Anston, Two Rivers, Duluth, Minn., and Esign, Mich.  Next year's reunion will be held at Pamperin Park, June 7, 1953.  Chairmen of the coming event will be Harvey Mourlau (sic) and Mrs. Cyril Blohowiak, Green Bay, and Mrs. Donald Nellis, Dyckesville."

And another clipping for the same reunion.  Almost verbatim with the only notable change being the address for Martin Cayemberg:

"132 Members of Cayemberg Family Hold Reunion (handwritten '1952')

An 11:30 dinner was served to 132 members of the Cayemberg family at Pamperin park Sunday.  Patrick Cayemberg and Mrs. Henry Cayemberg, Green Bay, and Mrs. Wilfred Cayemberg, Manitowoc, were chairmen of this year's event.

A corsage and gift was presented to Mrs. Eli Cayemberg, Pulaski, who is 82 years olf.  Her youngest sister, Mrs. Agnes Tardiff, came from Duluth, Minn., for the reunion.  Mrs. Tardiff, whose last visit to Green Bay was 38 years ago, is a house guest at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Martin Cayemberg, 875 Shawano avenue.

One grandchild and five great-grandchildren were added to the family during the past year.  Members attended from Algoma, Rio Creek, Casco, Luxemburg, Martinville, Dyckesville, Tonet, Manitowoc, Pulaski, Kunesh, Anston, Two Rivers, Duluth, Minn., and Ensign, Mich., for the annual event.  Next year's reunion will be held at Pamperin park June 7.  Chairmen will be the Mmes. Harvey Moureau and Cyril Blohowiak, Green Bay, and Mrs. Donald Nellis, Dyckesville."

The clipping was taken from a scrapbook handed down to me by my mother in law.  No newspaper name was given, but other reunion articles were from the Green Bay Press Gazette.  One of these clippings was probably from a different paper since it is unlikely that the Press Gazette would have published the same article twice, even on different days.

Happy Veterans Day to All Those Who Served

(This is a repost from previous years to thank those that have served in the military and to remember those veterans in my family as well. New to the annual post is my step-father, James Trunzo!)

I want to take a moment to say thank you to everyone who has served honorably in our Armed Forces.  Without our service members past and present our country would not be where it is today. We would not have gained our independence, we would not have unified a divided country, we would not have stopped the atrocities of 2 World Wars, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. There are many conflicts not mentioned which do not make light of the sacrifices that servicemen and women made in them. Sometimes the sacrifice was in time away from family and long hours. At times it was witnessing the horrors of those wars or even succumbing valiantly to them.

Not everyone serves their country as a Veteran does and not everyone can or should. You are unique, respected and given a burden that many would not be able to bear. Whether you served many months or many years in our Armed Forces makes no difference. You served. Thank you!

I'd like to now pay tribute to my family members who have served (I hope I didn't miss any!).

SGT James E Trunzo - USA

  

Sunday's Obituary - Marie G. Turnbach nee Guckavan

Hazleton Standard Speaker,
12NOV2001, pg2

Marie Turnbach nee Guckavan was the mother of my cousin, William Turnbach Jr.  When I first started out researching my genealogy, my electronic path crossed Bill's quite quickly.  We corresponded by email and regular mail a few times.  He always was eager to share information with me and others researching our shared family history.  Bill was a wealth of knowledge and brought many of us in this line together to continue on even after he passed in 2006.

As I was looking through my family tree and updating sources I came across this obituary for his mom that had been clipped and mailed to me (now if only I could remember who sent it...).  It's an impressive obituary.  I like to think that Bill had a hand in writing it, especially considering all the wonderful information detailed in there.  I never actually met Bill or his mother, but I'm sure my mom, aunt and uncle may have considering her ties to education in the Hazleton area.  In fact many of my ancestors were educators as well and I'm sure they knew her.  So today I'm sharing this well done obituary for this busy force of a woman.

"Marie G. Turnbach

Marie G. Turnbach, 101, died Saturday evening at Mercy Center, Dallas, where she had been a resident for the past seven years.

Mrs. Turnbach would have celebrated her 102nd birthday in two weeks.

Born in McKee's Rocks, Allegheny County, she was the daughter of the late James D. and Catherine (Corrigan) Guckavan.

She attended St. Gabriel's High School, and was a graduate of Bloomsburg State Teachers College, Class of 1919.  Prior to marrying, she taught in the Hazleton public schools, and, in later years, had substituted in the Hazleton Area School District and at St. Gabriel's School, in the elementary grades.

Mrs. Turnbach, along with her husband, the late William M. Turnbach, founded the Turnbach Funeral Home (Inc.), Hazleton.

She was an active member of St. Gabriel's Roman Catholic Church, Hazleton, taught Confraternity of Christian Doctrine classes until the age of 90, and was one of the founders of the parish's Golden Agers, of which she served as president for two terms.

When Penn State University throated to close down the local campus, during the 1940s, Mrs. Turnbach was instrumental in maintaining a branch in the Hazleton area.  She served on the college's educational council for 30 years and served as treasurer for 25 years.

Preceding her in death, in addition to her parents and husband, were her son, James A. Turnbach, local funeral director and former mayor of Hazleton; and daughters, Sister Marie Turnbach and Kathleen Finn.

Surviving are a son, William M. Turnbach, Trappe: daughters, Sister Ann Turnbach, Dalla, and Beth Turnbach, Hazleton; 15 grandchildren; 30 great-grandchildren; and a sister, Sister Elizabeth Guckavan, Dallas.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. in the Blessed Sacrement Chapel of Mercy Center, Dallas.

Burial will take place in St. Gabriel's Cemetery, Hazleton.

Friends may call at the Blessed Sacrament Chapel on Tuesday from 4 to 8 p.m. and Wednesday from 9 to 10:15 a.m.

Donations to the Sisters of Mercy Retirement Fund, Mercy Center, Lake Street, Dallas, Pa., 18612 or to the memorial fund of St. Gabriel's R.C. Church, 122 S. Wyoming St., Hazleton, Pa. 18201 would be appreciated by the family.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Turnbach Funeral Home Inc., 423 W. Broad St., Hazleton."

Family Reunion Friday - Cayemberg Family 1947

The Cayemberg reunion in its 10th year reached 114 people in attendance. Not too shabby if you ask me and by the looks of it they had a pretty good time. I talked previously about the need to have games at the reunion. Here you can see that they played baseball and tennis, but they could have played almost anything as long as it appealed to the family. It's important to know what your group enjoys to do!

There are plenty of free tools online that you can use to take a survey. Just do a search and see which one you find most user friendly. If you don't want to deal with creating an online survey just ask people! Does your committee use social media? Put the question out there! If you aren't using social media, why aren't you using social media?!?!?!

If your reunion hasn't made it into the 21st century with technology, that's OK. You can always ask for input at planning meetings or even at the current reunion. What better place to corner a group and ask what they'd like to do to keep them coming back. Just remember that asking and not following through with any of the suggestions is more likely to frustrate than invigorate.

Don't be afraid to ask for input and don't be too big for your britches to use ideas that don't appeal to you. I know that I'm not a tennis player....come to think of it, I'm fairly pathetic at any sport...but if people told me they wanted tennis, or baseball, or arm wrestling for that matter, I'd want to make them happy. Heck, as long as I'm physically able I'd get in there and participate. They'd probably go home with some comical memories of their relative that smacked herself in the face with a tennis racquet! Just make memories and keep them coming back!

"Cayemberg Family Has 10th Reunion

(Handwritten '1947')

Four generations of the Cayemberg family, totaling 114 persons, met at Pemperin park Sunday for the family's tenth family reunion.

The reunion began at noon with a dinner for the family and baseball and tennis were played in the afternoon.  Races were won by Wally Cayemberg, Shelley Jean Guillette, Anston; Ben Matuszak, Algoma; Florence and Cy Blohowiak, Denmark; Bob Fellows, Shirley Cayemberg, Manitowoc, and Marie Cayemberg, Ensign, Mich.

Mrs. Frank Motquin won the door prize which was made by Mrs. Florence Cayemberg, who is the grandmother of the family and spoke at the dinner.  Mrs. Harvey Moureau and Mrs. Russell Anderson were chairmen of this year's reunion.

Mrs. Joseph Wattawa, Reedsville, and Mrs. Rose Christianson, Casco, have been named chairmen of the June, 1948, reunion.

Members of the family from Ensign, Mich., Milwaukee, Reedsville, Casco, New Franken, Luxemberg, Algoma, Manitowoc, Two Rivers, Rosiere, Sawyer, Anston, Pulask, Kunesh and Rio Creek attended the family celebratino (sic)."

The clipping was taken from a scrapbook handed down to me by my mother in law.  No newspaper name was given, but other reunion articles were from the Green Bay Press Gazette.

Sunday's Obituary - SGT Lester V Kuehl, part 2

Last Sunday I posted the first two clippings of what would be considered Lester Kuehl's obituary.  The first two announced his death as a Soldier in World War II in France.  His remains were interred in France and in 1948 they were finally brought home to Wisconsin for his family to bury.

"The casketed remains of Sergeant Lester V. Kuehl arrived at Kewaskum aboard the 9:48 p.m. northbound Chicago & North Western train yesterday (Wednesday evening) accompanied by a uniformed escort from the Chicago distribution center, American Graves Registration service.  The sergeant was the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Kuehl, Kewaskum.

The members of the American Legion post of Kewaskum met the casket at the depot and escorted it to the Miller Funeral home, Kewaskum.

Funeral services will be held today (Thursday) at 1:30 p.m. at the funeral home, and at 2 p.m. at Salem Reformed church, Wayne Center, where the Rev. Carl Flueckinger will preside.  Members of the Kewaskum legion post will attend services in a body and proved military rites at the graveside.  The officers of Salem church will also attend the funeral in a group.

Sergeant Kuehl was killed in action Aug. 9, 1944, at Les-Monta Borme, France, while serving with Company A, 112th Infantry regiment, 28th Infantry division.  The remains had been interred in the United States Military cemetery at LeChene-Guerin, France, and were returned to this country aboard the army transport Carroll Victory which docked in New York on Oct. 6.

He was born Aug. 25, 1920, in the town of Wayne, and was employed on his father's farm before entering the army on September 29, 1942 with the largest group of inductees from this county.

He received training at Camp Livingston, La., and Camp Pickett, Va., before going overseas in October of 1943.  Stationed in England until July, 1944, he then went to France with his outfit where he lost his life.  He attained the age of 24 years.

Survivors are his parents, a sister Winonea (Mrs. LeRoy Strean) of Sheboygan; three brothers, Romand of St. Kilian, Marvin of the town of Wayne, Elmer on the homestead near St. Kilian; his grandmother, Mrs. Emilia Kuehl, 12 nieces and nephews."

When I first looked at the obituary I had thought the handwritten year was in error because I knew he had died in 1944.  Why was this dated four years later?  I knew service members were buried overseas, but what I hadn't realized was that didn't mean they stayed buried overseas.  I had no idea who determined if they stayed or if they came back.  It just was something that happened.  I had no urge to find out the whys until seeing this clipping.

And for your cliff-hanger I'm not going to tell you the whys right now.  I'm actually still doing some research on it all and I want to get a clearer picture before I share.  I'm also trying to find out what exactly was going on around the day that Lester was killed.  I've read some on it, but nothing conclusive.  I'll share it all in a future post though.  Until then, "To Be Continued..."

(This clipping was passed on to me by my mother-in-law.  I don't know which Wisconsin newspaper the clipping came from)