MY FAMILY
This is to tell you about my family. As I said earlier, we lived with my Gramma and Grampa. Emma Elizabeth (Marti) Bueker and William Henry Bueker. Previous generations of Martis came from Mulchi and Messen,Switzerland. Previous generations of Buekers came from Detmold, Germany. In 1986 Mary and I visited both countries. We visited the cities from which the ancestors came. The names can be found on the internet. A good genealogical record of the Martis and Buekers has been compiled. I think most of the family has copies.
My father was John Wesley Bueker. My mother was Margaret Anna Hoff.
Dad had two sisters, Alice Balesky and Louise Kuehn.
Two sisters died in infancy. They were: Doris Alma Bueker, born December 30,1901. She died December 10, 1902 of convulsions. Florence Agnes Bueker was born January 28, 1904. She died December 22, 1904 of pneumonia. The Saginaw County Clerk records the girl’s names on Pages J415 and J473. The girls are buried in Kochville Township, Saginaw County, Michigan in the Kochville United Methodist Church cemetery. Mary and I have often talked of buying a stone for their unmarked graves. We even checked on the cost, about six hundred dollars, not very much. The graves, side by side, are located on the same lot as their parents, William and Emma.
My mother’s father was Henry Hoff. He came from Berlin, Germany when he was seventeen. Her mother was Martha Bluementhal. She came from Mecklenburg, Germany when she was nine years of age. Mother had four brothers and two sisters. The brothers were, Walter, Clarence, Frank and George. The sisters were, Mildred and Frances. Frank and Frances are twins.
I had three sisters and one brother. In order of birth we are Wesley, August 19, 1926, that’s me, Kathleen, May 10, 1930-February 28, 2001, (Kathleen died of cancer) John, September 8, 1933, Margaret, September 1, 1935, and Ruth, December 4, 1944.
I don’t remember much about my Mother’s family because as a family we were not very close. But living on the farm with my father’s parents allowed me to see his family often. My cousins, Doris, Ruth and Frederick, Balesky lived only a half a mile away. It was easy to visit back and forth. We all attended Jewett School. My cousins, Donna, Billy and Marion, Kuehn lived in the city of Saginaw. They came often and stayed overnight.
When I think of the good times we had as kids playing, especially the things we did for fun, I wonder how come I’m not crippled or even still alive.
Grampa Bueker had colon cancer. I remember how, near the end of life, he would moan and scream with pain. Doctor Kleecamp came nearly every day to treat him. Grampa died on December 21, 1933. I remember my Aunt Mildred picking me up at school that day and telling me, "Your Grandfather died." I was seven and that is my first experience of dealing with death. The casket was brought to the house and placed in the parlor.
A spray of flowers was hung on the front door. Relatives, neighbors and friends came to the house to extend their sympathy. That’s the way things were done in 1933. On December 24, the afternoon of the funeral there was a nasty snow-storm. I remember hearing talk of delaying the funeral. But it was Christmas Eve and the funeral went on. My mother stayed home with Kathleen, John and me.
We did have a Christmas Tree that year. I don’t remember who put it up but I do know that the tree was not put up until after the funeral. I vaguely remember my mother taking us to the Christmas Eve service at church and when we got home the tree was up. The storm must have abated.
The memories will continue.
SUNDAY SCHOOL MEMORIES
