Off The Editor’s Desk – 8-16-2017

Family Reunion Time! 

It is the season for family reunions, and it was so in our household on Sunday as we traveled to Menomonie to attend the reunion of Paula’s family (Holzhueter) at Butch’s Bay along the banks of Lake Menomin. 

On our way we passed Hinman Park in Glenwood City and the sign read “Jeske Reunion” and on through Boyceville was the Stoner Reunion at Pafko Park. 

Arriving, I quickly acquired the outdoor grill, a permanent fixture, at the park, and attempted to Bar-B-Q some Brats, but the bag of charcoal was left over from last year and would not light. So a quick trip to Kwik Trip to get some new charcoal and some lighter fluid to get the fire going. Those Brats held up dinner for a short time. 

The other two shelters at the park were also hosting reunions. And, as the group finished the delicious potluck dinner, it was time to reminisce about the events of the past and also current events. I related an item about the Holzhueter reunion. More than 20 years ago, Paula’s father, Paul Klatt, asked if I would drive him to the Holzhueter family reunion in Tomah, where a large group of the Holzhueter family had settled in southern Wisconsin as immigrants. 

The Menomonie group of the Holzhueter family has a record in book form, of all the descendants of Christian Fredrick (Friedrich) Holzhueter (1818-1893) and Louise Caroline Friedricke Polzin (1829- 1903).

I drove Paul’s car to Tomah to find that family group was a couple of hundred members strong and I knew no one in the crowd. Not long after arriving, I was hailed by my mother-in-law, Bernice Klatt, to meet a man by the name was Fritz Holzhueter. Fritz questioned me if I knew Virgil Stang and I indicated that he was my uncle and he wanted to know how he was doing. 

I asked how he knew “Turp” as that was what we called him. Fritz said that he was in the Army with him during the Second World War. He said he became acquainted with “Turp” while he was standing in line at an army base in the south. I forgot where he said the base was. 

Fritz said, “You stand in line a lot in the Army,” but told of how he met “Turp”. Fritz said that he came up to me and handed me a nickel and Fritz questioned the nickel, and “Turp” said, “My father told me if I found someone uglier than me, I should give him a nickel.” And, that’s how a life long friendship was developed. 

Looking forward to next year’s reunion. 

Thanks for reading! ~Carlton