PERSONAL HISTORY of ELFRIEDE F. KUEHNE   (Updated October 5, 1993)

-  from a recording and writings made by Elfriede herself  -

The first child of eight, my mother's pride and joy, Elfriede, was born the 28^th of February, 1912, in Neuhof, Wilhelmsburg, Werftstraße 4, Germany, in a home that consisted of one room and a kitchen.

I was named Elfriede Anna Gertrud. Gertrud of course after my Aunt Gertrud, mother's sister. My parents are Richard Karl Wilhelm Fick, (later changed to Frank) and Grete Anna Elisabeth Schloss.

Father was born the 26^th of February, 1890, in Wolgast, and mother was born the 20^th of September, 1893 in Stettin. My parents joined the Church early in their lives. Father was baptized the 12^th of February 1909, am Glambecksee, just outside of Stettin. Mother was baptized on the 11^th of February, 1911, the same place. Their understanding for the real meaning of the gospel was not there yet, and the distance to the branch, 20 minutes walk to a boat, a half an hour boat trip, and then one hour from Landungsbrücken to Besenbinderhof to the Church, almost a two hours trip, did not make it any easier.

In 1913, my parents moved to Eimsbüttel, where Otto was born, June 10, 1913. In 1914 they moved back to Neuhof Köhlbrandstraße, 159, into a beautiful Neubau, new home, where Willy was born March 7, 1915.

It came that I was not blessed before the 1^st of August 1915. I could never see why my two brothers were blessed before. I missed the chance to ask mother why. Otto, probably, because they lived in Eimsbüttel at that time, but Willy? It is not so easy anymore to bless a three year old. I did not like the idea. I thought Karl Brey, with a beard, was a Santa Claus. And, I tried to run away.

In 1918, I started school in Neuhof, where boys and girls were sitting together. Later, in 1918, my parents decided to take it more earnestly in their duties in the Church, so they moved to Hamburg, Hammerbrookstraße 60, in a parterre apartment where it was cold. Gertrud was born here, January the eighth, 1919. An apartment became empty on the other side and so we moved over a bakery. His name was Hose. Sunday we called him Hose, other days he was Buks. That was just an expression in German. This place was nice and warm.

Elsa, Erwin, and Alfred were born here. Elsa, September 9th, 1921, Erwin November 6^th, 1923, and Alfred on the 6^th of July, 1925. Then the place became too small and we moved in 1926 to Frankenstraße.

As a baby, I must have made my mother some worries. She said I was crying day and night. I only slept when I felt like it, but not at night. The neighbors scared mother, that I must be sick, but nothing was wrong with me. I started using my legs and my mouth with eight months, so I had something to do. With 11 months, I walked. When I was 15 months, my brother Otto was born. I enjoyed handing him his toys and watching him outside. Then another brother, Willy came when I was three.

It was hard for my father to provide for five, so mother went working early in the morning. This was not always easy for us three at home. Willy was quite a cry baby. The time was long and we were scared by ourselves. Mother said she could always depend on me, though, and so I took care of my two brothers, till I became six and went to school.

There came extra work for me. I started in Neuhof first, then in Norderstraße, Hamburg. I started first class with a Fräulein Wiese. I had her up to the seventh class, and then the eighth class I had the principal. Fraulein Wiese was quite strict. When I was told to read something 20 times, that was it. It went on my mothers nerves at times and she told me that I knew it and to stop. But no, Fraulein Wiese had told me read 20 times and that was it. She was just a little elderly lady, strict as can be, but I learned a lot under her direction.

Something I never forget, was the good sandwiches she had for me. For some reason, it must have been known, that we were not so good off. I had to always go at lunch and get a sandwich from her, which was not always so pleasant for me.

The 1^st of August 1920, I will never forget, when we went out into the open, where I was baptized and right away confirmed. It was a lovely day, and I always remember that day.

In 1922, father had an accident at work. He was in the hospital for 14 weeks and a half a year at home.

My mother got a job to support the family and my job, besides my school, was to take care of my brothers and sisters. It did not give me much time for play with my girlfriend, Dora Ehlers. She could not understand this, because she was the only child at home. But, to me, it was just natural to help my mother first.

Then, on the 6^th of November, 1923, Erwin was born. It was hard to find work, so we took a paper route. One morning, mother was not feeling well, so my brother Otto and I went by ourselves. There was a man following us for some time. Instead of telling us right out who he was, he followed us into the house. That scared the heck out of us and we ran home. He then introduced himself as a Kriminal Beamte, which is a policeman. We were not supposed to go early in the morning by ourselves.

Well, in the spring of 1926, I graduated from school. I found a job at a cookie factory. This was fun. We had to box the cookies in big boxes and could eat all we wanted. But that, of course, wore off soon. The broken cookies I could buy cheap and take home for the family, which of course they enjoyed. And then, I got me a job after at Bischoff and Rodatz, working in a knitting factory.

As a child, I always enjoyed going to Church. We did not always go to sacrament meeting, that is we children did not. If we had to stay home with the little ones, or why, I do not know. I always went with my mother to relief society as a really young girl, and I always enjoyed it.

Erich Kuehne had come to Hamburg to live with his sister, Agnes, in 1927. He went to the same branch that I did. In 1928, he became a counselor in the sunday school, and I was the secretary. This was my first job in the Church. We also sang together in the ward choir and went together with the youth to the ward outings. This is, of course, how we got acquainted and started going together. Erich had night shift — I was on early shift. He was always there to pick me up from work. This did not give him too much sleep.

Easter, March, 1929, we were engaged. We had a real nice get together with our relatives and friends and some missionaries. My two little sisters, Elsa and Gertrud, had given us a poem which was real cute of them.

My Uncle Otto had gone to America in 1927 to follow Rösi. He wanted to get one from my family over. He was thinking of my father first. But, there were too many complications, like, who would provide for the family.

By that time, Erich and I got interested in going. To that time, there were quite a few going from our ward, which was really some kind of a fad. Everyone wanted to go to America. But, mother was not sure if she wanted me to go, since I was only sweet seventeen, but I think she trusted Erich to take care of me. She always thought a lot of him anyway.

Well, everything went so fast. On the 2^nd of August, 1929, we left Hamburg Germany with the steamship Hamburg, sailing from Cuxhaven and landed in New York on the 12^th of August. Never did I realize at that time that I would not see my parents for nineteen years again, for we had planned to get one over after the other.

We stayed in New York, New Jersey with my Uncle Otto and Aunt Rösi. It was nice. I got a job where Aunt Rösi worked in a bra factory. Dad could not find a job, but we wanted to get married and be on our own.

We rented a place from someone in the branch and I paid the two dollars for the marriage license. We got married in a very quiet way on the 9^th of December, 1929. We bought us a few furnitures, some used furnitures, and our first Christmas that year was celebrated with a family that lived in the house, their name was Katzenwadel. It was nice of them to invite us. We stayed friends with the family for a long time. One thing I never forget was when she put the chicken on the table. She took the stuffing out, which was hamburger, and that is what we ate. The chicken was taken off the table. But not one word was said by the family, so they must have been used to that.

Times were bad in 1929, the worst depression we ever had. Hard to find work. When we got home one day, our furnitures were gone, since we could not pay for them. They even had checked in our cupboard and found some postum in a glass jar. We were accused of using coffee.

Spring or summer of 1930, the Försters in Astoria invited us to live with them. They had different apartments for rent. It was furnished, so we didn't need our furnitures. There were also some LDS boys living there. We even had our own very first Christmas tree that year. In the summer of 1930, we had the privilege to take a bus with members of the ward choir to go to Palmyra. This was a great experience. Rumors had gone from New York to Hamburg that Elfriede was high pregnant and they could not see how she could have taken that trip. The fact was, that our first baby was not even born until a year after.

Our first baby was born August 31^st, 1931, 11:30 P.M., at 169 99^th Street, New York City. After waiting for her since July 15^th, she finally arrived. This was a great event. I stayed home with a doctor and a midwife attending me. It was very hot and humid. My mother had sent me a little linen shirt from Germany and even that was too warm for her. We called her Lillian Elfriede, after a pretty girl at the Blue Kitchen, where dad worked.

When the doctor came one day, he found me washing diapers in the sink. He gave me heck for it and thought that was a job for my husband and not for me. No washing machine or dryer for me in those days. Rather, a wash line outside, to pull from kitchen window to the neighbors window, or by bad weather, stringing lines in the kitchen.

Lillian was a very good baby. She slept right through the first night, except when she had a stomach ache. And then we turned her on her side, patting her back. Sister Sohn told me this and Lillian seemed to like it. With four weeks we took her the first time to Church and had her blessed by Brother Schnell. When she was five weeks, daddy rushed home one day from work with a camera from a friend to make pictures of his daughter.

In New York, we had relief society in the evening. Also did visiting teaching in the evening. Lillian always knew when mother had to go to a meeting. She always gave dad a hard time to tend her.

When she was about eight months, I had to have an operation and a good Sister Retzlaff took care of me. I was told not to have any children before five years. I was reminded of it when I was pregnant with the second one, two years after, but I told the doctor that there was nothing to be changed on. So, March the 24^th, 1934, our son Wayne Erich was born, without any difficulties for me. He was named after Wayne Driggs that was in our ward.

19^th of November, 1937, our third child, Raymond Melvin was born. We had a great time in New York, despite that we had to travel by subway 45 minutes to 1 hour one way. We never missed any meetings. We always had our children with us.

I was active in primary there, which I enjoyed very much. We did not always have what I would consider the best apartment. It was a cold water flat. Toilet, you were lucky when you shared with only two families, often four. Lucky when you had it on the same floor you lived on. Bathtubs were mostly in the kitchen, with a cover on top for work space. You also used it as a washtub for your laundry. You could see the laundry from your neighbor above you waving close to your window. You also got the dust mop shaking out from above. In the summer time, people were sitting out in front of the house till late at night. The apartments were just too hot, but all in all we did not feel it that bad.

Now, we lived already in New York for eight years. This was never our intention, to stay that long, but we never were able to get enough money together for the trip to Utah. There were so many students in New York from Utah that had relations in Utah where they could always go to, but we had none.

In the winter of 1939, Uncle Otto and family left New York. Aunt Rösie drove out of New York. The rest of the trip Uncle Otto drove without a drivers license and when he wanted to get his license here, in Salt Lake, he fell through the first time.

Since Uncle Otto now left, it gave an extra push to come to Utah. But, how, without any money. We decided to save our tithing money and use it for the trip. This was the only way we could think of. It was the first time too that we ever withheld the tithing. But, our bishop got wise to it and promised dad that there would be better ways to be found, if we would pay our tithing. So, we did pay our tithing again and it did not take very long that one Sunday in Church it was announced that the Halls were going west and they could take some riders with them. We of course spoke with them and made our arrangements. Bro Hall drove a truck with their belongings and Martin Klein, now Doctor Klein, drove with him. Sister Hall drove their car and took us along, that is, Lillian, Wayne, Ray and I. All we paid for was to help on the gas.

Dad had a good job at that time and didn't want to let go of it until he knew that we wanted to stay there. He had gotten in contact with a good friend of him in Salt Lake that he knew from Stettin, Karl Ebert, and he and his wife were kind enough to take us in, even so at that time he only had a small home on seventh avenue and three children too.

It was an enjoyable five–day trip. The children were great. No trouble at all. We arrived in Salt Lake, June the 1^st, 1940. That sight coming down the last stretch from the canyon, over looking the city, I will never forget. This was the place I was longing for, and finally saw.

The children, Lillian and Wayne, went the next day with the Eberts children and others to the show. Walking from the avenues to town. Well, we wrote dad how much we liked it over here, and we were not coming back. It did not take him very long to quit his job and follow us. He arrived here on the 17^th of June, 1940. And, on the 20^th of June we went to the temple to be sealed, for time and all eternity, and had the three children sealed to us. It took us almost eleven years for this, but it was worth waiting for. It was so special to have our three children join us at the altar in their white shirts and pants and dress. Never will I forget their astounding faces. Thanks to Sister Amann who lived in New Jersey with us earlier, we even had our own temple clothing that she sewed for us.

An apartment became empty a few houses away from the Eberts. It looked like a duplex. We always got two advertisements, one for each door. The neighbors helped us furnish it with a stand lamp, a bed, dresser. We bought us some unfinished furniture like a table and chairs, dresser.

After a while I even got my first wringer washer. I washed my clothing before in the bathtub on a washboard, which I still honor to this day.

For some reason, dad had helped me with the wash one day, and he had to lay on the floor after to straighten out again. But that was the last time that he or I had to wash anymore in the tub.

The avenues was a nice place to live. We had good neighbors and the children had good playmates, like the Wegners and Eberts. One bad habit they had, and you still see it to this day with children, two play good together, the third is in the way. So it was with Lillian's friends, Norma Ebert, Eleanor Wegner. But they still today think a lot of each other.

I think one good thing we did to the Eberts was to get them back to Church activity. They were not quite so active before. We even got into a ward where we knew the bishop. He had been our bishop in New York, Bishop Gordon Burt Affleck. The ward members were mostly from pioneer stock and were very hard to get acquainted with. Even so we lived there for about fifteen months, we never got close to anyone. It was just a coming and going, but we always went.

Since dad got his unemployment from New York, it did not go too far. We received a bishops order, and never will I forget Sister Kincke, the relief society president, she did not give anymore than absolute necessary. She gave me a sack of flour, but no loaf of bread. I first thought it was terrible, never baked bread before, but I had to learn, which was not easy on a coal stove that is not keeping a steady heat. But, I am grateful to her for making me do it.

In the fall, 1941, we took over a custodian job in the eighth ward, 516 South 3^rd East. We had a free home, right next to the chapel, and sixty dollars a month. The home was later destroyed, making room for building onto the chapel. Bishop Fetzer was our bishop, a great man. It was a different ward than the 21^st ward. Here we found people where you could talk to. I became busy as a mutual teacher, and in charge of the baptisms, and counselor a in the primary. It had more older people there, but nice to get along with.

In July 1942, dad had a chance to start working for the city, through Karl Ebert. So, I, Lillian and the boys took care of the Church building. It gave us a chance to put some money on the side for our home. Our new bishop, Ethington, a fine bishop too, was in the real estate business. He found us this home, on 1387 West Wasatch Avenue. We were able to put $600 down, in June 1944, when we bought it, for $2950.

We thought it would be great to keep both jobs going to get the house payment faster down. But, a good bishop counselor, he being German too, could not see that we would go so fast ahead, so he ruined it for us by more or less making us quit the Church job. It was good in one way, for we had a family living in here that did not exactly take care of the place. So, in September, 1944, we moved into this home. We left some good friends down there, like the Ethingtons, LaVern Christensen, who I worked in primary with, Melba Olsen, our good neighbor that helped us move up here.

Lynn Richard was not quite one year old when we moved to this place. He was born on the 30^th of October 1943, at the 3^rd East. We had expected him about the 15^th. Dad had taken his vacation to that time but no baby by the time he had to go back to work. I landed in the hospital alright, but was sent home again. This time I waited, cleaned the chapel to the very end, so I would not be sent home again.

At this time, in 1944, we belonged to the Poplar Grove Ward by the railroad track. It really was an old ward, nothing special. Relief society met in the basement. But, a great ward otherwise, with bishop Ernest Snider. Dad was the chairman of the genealogical committee, and I the secretary.

October the 20^th, 1945, we were blessed with another boy, Ronald Lee. They told me that the members in the ward could always tell when we had another boy. It always made dad especially happy.

In 1946, our ward was divided and we became the Edison ward. We were meeting in the 32^nd ward chapel on Navajo Street and 4^th South, which was quite a walk with carrying little Ron. Bishop Buehler was our bishop.

Lillian always wanted a little sister, but her wish was not granted, for she married in April 27, 1950.

Then, in 1952, February the 17^th, a little sister was born, four months before Lillian's second child was born, a daughter, Kathleen. She did not get much of her little sister, but we enjoyed having Sharon Jean coming still to our family. To me, it was so special and hard to believe after those four boys to finally have a girl again.

In 1953, the Edison Ward was divided into the Poplar Grove II and III Wards. We became the 3^rd Ward. Our building across the street was not finished, so we had to meet again in the old Poplar Grove Ward. Bishop Jenks became the bishop. I worked at that time with LDS girls program and then became secretary to Zada Jones in the relief society in 1953. And then I became the second counselor to Zada and then I became the first counselor. That was until May 1959 I was with Zada Jones together.

Zada and I wanted to be released, so we could do genealogy work. So, I worked hard in that, genealogy, til September 1962, when sister Louise Workman was put in as president and she wanted me back as a counselor, so I was her first counselor. But, she didn't last very long. We had some kind of a trouble with certain people and so she was released in March 1963. And I was asked by the bishop, Major, to be the president of the relief society. This was a very special calling to me, a very challenging one. By this time, I did not have too much patience with primary and mutual children, which I always enjoyed before, but relief society I had in my heart. I always enjoyed going, even as a young girl when I went with my mother. The bishop asked me what I would rather do, genealogy or relief society work. I told him that was a very hard question to answer, since I loved them both.

This, of course, was a job where I could not do much genealogy. We had a rough time going at first. I did not think I would last six months, like the former president. But, by the time we made a few changes in positions, we worked just great together. In the seven years and eight months I was in, I did not have to change my counselors, Ellen Sanders, Margaret Woolston and Alinda McClean as secretary, which I think is a good record.

It is great to work with the sisters, to look after the elderly and those that need help. It is hard to explain to someone what relief society really offers, until they get active in it. It is just a wonderful program.

Bishop Major was released and Dale Jones was the new bishop. My counselors talked at times about being released and I did not feel of changing them. So, I thought the best thing would be to ask for my release.

Well, 22^nd of November, 1970 came my release, which I welcomed and it still took me a while to get used to it, but back into genealogy. It seems like I always need some time in between to do that work. Two years I worked hard and found a lot. Jean McOmie was put in as president. When she lost Alinda as her secretary on October 22, 1972, so I was back in as secretary of the Poplar Grove III Ward, till the ward was dismissed in January 13, 1974, and we became the Edison Ward again, from part of Poplar Grove II and III. We met on the east side, and the other half of the ward are now Brighton Ward. I of course, had to be secretary again, this time under Beatrice Littlewood, which was in September 1976. And then, Eva Major replaced her, and I still stayed secretary and probably will until Eva gets released. I don't really mind this job, especially now where I don't have to keep track of the sisters in sacrament meeting anymore. That just kind of ruined my sacrament meeting by always looking around, seeing who was there. It is nice to be doing something in the ward. It is one way of getting to know something about other members, and getting more closer to them.

I don't know what I would do if I would not be an active member. It is great to have one day in the week where you go to Church and maybe a few days in the month some other activities. I am grateful to be a member of the Church. I know that this is the true Church. I'm grateful to my parents that have raised me and gave me the understanding of the importance of being a member.

It was not always easy for my parents to raise us and give us what we needed, but they surely tried their best. My father was a hard worker. Besides his job, he always enjoyed gardening. Mother, besides taking care of her big family, was always active in Church and very often had to help with outside work.

It was not always easy for us either. When I think how we came to Salt Lake with the money that the children had in their piggy bank. We could not afford buying things that my grandchildren have these days. I hope they appreciate what they do have.

But, my children were very understanding, at least I hope they were. All four of our boys started early with selling donuts, papers, cutting lawns, had paper routes which was hard on them, especially in the winter. Lillian did baby sitting early, worked by Kress in the material department, which of course she enjoyed. Lillian and Wayne went to Uncle Otto and helped in the Garden Park Ward.

My motto always was “10% to the Lord and 10% to mother” when they worked, which always helped me with the food bill.

We sent all four boys on missions. The schooling after we told them they had to pay themselves and they did, all by working besides schooling. Lillian even offered to help pay when she heard that Opa and Oma were coming, from her little income that she had by Kress.

When I left Germany in 1929, I never realized that it would take nineteen years to see my parents back again. I was just home sick, every Christmas. It was especially hard when the war broke out. For a few years we did not hear a thing from them. Then in May, 1943, we had the first greetings through a Red Cross telegram, telling us just shortly "all is well, brothers soldiers by Gertrud, Otto, Willy two children, Elsa a boy."

In 1948, the quota opened to let parents to children to America. So, my parents were one of the first ones to come in. They arrived here on the 18^th of September. This was really a great day. They stayed with us until they could find an apartment. We gave them the room that is now our TV room, and the boys slept in the basement. Mother and dad both found a job right away at the LDS hospital. Opa took sick and had an appendicitis operation shortly after and Oma fell in the hospital and dropped some silverware on her nose at work. So, she landed there with a broken nose. But, in spite of these instances, they both enjoyed working in the hospital. Opa always brought some rolls home, wrapped in a white napkin, that they always enjoyed in the evening still. Oma enjoyed putting up peaches in the LDS Hospital. She said she was always licking off the stones good, so that there was nothing to be wasted.

On the 1^st of November, 1948, Oma and Opa went to the Salt Lake Temple to be sealed to each other. I don't know how they ever did it, by not knowing the language. Oma was very anxious to learn the language, and did real good. But it did not bother Opa any. He always thought they understood him.

They of course were not happy until they had all of their children here. So came Gertrud and family in 1949, Erwin and family in 1950, in October, and Lisa and family in 1950 also. Otto and family in 1952, and Willy and family in 1953. It was not always easy to get the affidavits and money together for all of them, but each one took up the responsibility and paid off their own debts.

Well, April 27^th, 1950 came and Lillian had decided to get married to John Deters. They were married in the Salt Lake Temple and we gave them a reception in the Garden Park Ward.

May 13^th, 1951, our first grandchild, a son, was born to Lillian and John, named Gary. On June the 8^th, 1952, Lillian had a little girl, Kathy. At that time they lived close by us, so we did see them often. Our little girl, Sharon, had been born in February before. It was fun to see those little girls play together, even in the mud at times.

In the spring of 1954, dad became very ill. He was six weeks in the hospital. He had a specialist, but he never found out what was really wrong with him. So, when dad told him that his insurance would run out, all of a sudden he released him from the hospital. He had lost so much weight and was quite weak from laying so long. We were quite concerned, since Wayne was to go on his mission that summer, but he improved, and Wayne left for his mission in June 1954.

In December 1954, we celebrated our 25^th wedding anniversary with all our relations, which was a great day for us.

Wayne was barely home and Ray left for his mission in 1958. Lynn went in 1963, and all to Germany. We said if Ron would go to Germany, we would go and pick him up after his mission. But, instead to Germany, he went to Brazil in 1964.

Wayne served his mission from June 1954 to the 11^th of January, 1957. Raymond served his mission from January 1958 to June 1960. Lynn served his mission from February 1963 to August 1965. Ronald served his mission from November 1964 to January 1967.

After the boys were home from their missions, it did not take them long to get married. Wayne married in Germany on December 24, 1958 and was sealed in the Swiss Temple on December 27^th, 1958. Lynn married on the 4^th of November, 1966. Ray, the 2^nd of February, 1968, Ron 26^th April, 1968 and Sharon on 20^th February, 1970. All were married in the temple, except Sharon. We are still looking forward to the big event when she and her family will be sealed.

This of course made our home very empty in a hurry. All of sudden we had our own closet and extra bed. Dad had a library and a TV room. I have my work room. It feels kind of strange for a while to have it so quiet, but to tell the truth it feels pretty good now as long as we still have each other, that is the main thing.

Summer 1964, we had the bright idea to make a trip to the East. I'm usually not one for driving long distances, but this trip interested me. We took Sharon along, pitched tents all the way, in fact that was the only way we could afford this trip. On the trip, we met Bishop and Sister Drechsel. They slept in the station wagon. It was tiresome to put up the tent every night, but we got to see the historical points; Palmyra Pageant, went through the streets where we used to live, and drove through the busy streets of New York. We stayed with the Trümmers a few days, John Trümmer. It was a trip I really enjoyed. To see it once again was fine, but I would not like to live there anymore.

Our next big trip was in 1974. After 45 years gone from Germany, we saw my home town again. Wayne was stationed in Germany, so we thought this was a good time to go. We stayed with Wayne and family the first three weeks. He drove us around quite a bit. We saw a lot. Then we had bought some train tickets over here where you could travel as much as you wanted. We went from one train to another. If we wanted to see a certain place and it was raining too bad, we went back on the train and went a different direction.

During the night we slept on the train. We were most of the time by ourselves in the compartment, because we went first class and not many germans could afford first class. Hamburg had changed so much, there was not much left what we knew. We went to the Church meeting place in Saint George, the place where we met. It was no more meeting place, but some kind of a factory. But old memories for us were still there. What we still found was my old school where I spent eight years. Well, I'll let dad make a tape of our Germany trip. It was a very enjoyable trip. If I should ever do it again I would not drag around so many suitcases, though. A more enjoyable trip for me would be to go with a chartered tour, where you don't have to look for a sleeping place every night and don't have to carry your suitcases through the streets. That kind of ruined the fun for me.

What I enjoyed on this trip though was the plane ride. It was such a smooth ride, you hardly knew when it stopped or went in the air, and the view was so wonderful.

When we came back, Ray said, now where you made this big trip, you can come visit us once. So, the next year we flew to Washington. Our stay there was very enjoyable. We took Genie's car at times and saw the surrounding around Washington and it was also a good way to get more acquainted with Kristen, Karyn and Genie. Dad celebrated his 70^th birthday there, October 29, 1975.

NOTE: The following history was not taped as of January 1, 1990. Lynn typed this from Elfriede's hand–written notes.

We went to see Opa on Thursday, the first of March, 1979, where he did not recognize us. February the 26^th he turned 89. He had been in bed for about a week. The family felt to come together still, even so it was no celebration. I don't think he knew much what was going on. Before we ate, Willy took him to the bathroom. He would barely put one foot in front of the other. Willy held him in the back, just like a little child that learns to walk. It was so hard for him.

He had a hospital bed in the front room. From there to the couch in the dining room, then to the bathroom and back to bed. A few days after, Willy still took him for an extra little walk around the dining room table, but not today.

Since Willy was still later there on the 1^st, he thought to pick Opa up once more before he left, but this time he could not even get him to the couch by himself anymore. It was just too hard for him. He sat on the couch breathing so hard and gasping that the boys decided to rather put him back in bed. I left with feelings that night that he will not make it through the night, but he did. The doctor had prescribed some medicine for his restlessness, to calm him down. Willy thought that it was the medicine that made him so weak, so he tried once more Tuesday morning to get him up, but no different.

Saturday, March 3, 1979, Opa passed away between three and six a.m. Willy called me. He took it very hard. I stayed very calm to comfort him. He had been with him for almost two weeks, three times a day.

I went to Opa Saturday morning after the call from Willy. Opa was still in bed. The Deseret Mortuary was still there to pick him up, waiting for me to come. Willy, Erwin and Ruth, and Karl Mücke were there. We made plans for the funeral program, newspaper and so on. Had to be at the cemetery before noon to make arrangements for opening the grave, removing the marker. By noon by the mortuary to make arrangements there. We took Anna to the mortuary. Erwin went to the cemetery. While waiting for the boys we arranged information for the paper already. I did not want to go any further than that since Erwin knew more about that than I. Oma had bought a funeral plan with the Deseret Mortuary for $750 per funeral. Anna had bought two caskets with Vera with another place. She was always saying that she would not buy any caskets at Deseret since she had the others.

Well, I was glad that Erwin came and to my surprise, she gave in. Bought all temple clothing, $55, looked at caskets for $929, the casket she was entitled to from the $750 funeral plan. We were ready to sign — I was not happy with it. The rest thought it was all right. So, I stayed behind with Willy and we could not imagine our father being buried in that casket. It was so narrow, but they thought nothing of it since Opa was so skinny now. But, when the rest found out they would not put a little cover around the front to cover the screws and bare spot, they agreed with us. We looked for another casket. The next in lines was $1009. That means she had to add almost another $300 to it, but so what, it still came her pretty cheap. With the money from Germany, social security, she can make it. She, Anna, knew that Opa would go sometime, talked about saving money for it but that was hard for her to do.

Well, I should not complain. I was not her friend, but one thing I am grateful for is that Opa was faithful to the end. He can be buried in his temple clothing and meet my mother, Elsa, Lisa and Alfred in this condition. Thanks to Anna, that was a good member in the Church, she kept Opa this way. It could have been different with all the lady friends that wanted to marry him. One, not even a member of our Church. He always wanted a woman in the house after Oma passed away. I can't blame him, even so Opa was used to doing things around the house, he needed some companionship. So he had 10 years with her. They married July 1968.

April 15^th, 1979. Easter Sunday. Today being Easter reminds me of Easter, 1929, even so it was March 31^st. But, this was the big day where Erich and Elfriede were engaged. We even had a celebration in the evening at my parents home. Guests were the missionaries, Beehive girls, Peter and Agnes Ehrich and of course, my family. Gertrud, my little sister was 10 years at that time, and my sister Elsa, who was 7 1/2 years, said a cute poem. Refreshments were served.