"It's a Letter from Grandma Boock!"

A letter from Grandma [Emma Aufderheide] Boock was always a welcomed news in college. Marilyn Boock Schmidt writes of the wonderfully detailed letters she received from Grandma Emma, in Canada. There are many letters, but the two I've decided to make available at this time are newsy and dear. It's amazing how comfortable she was in being very specific about distant relatives and even her school chums in her letter to college-aged grandsons.

The first letter was written on 21 October 1965. Grandma Emma had just written a much appreciated letter for Jim's birthday on October 20th, which, during college years in Madison, was usually given to mid-term exams. Emma followed with this letter to the three of us in Madison; it focussed on the trip that Gertrude took with her to the Dr. Martin Luther College Centennial in New Ulm, which many in the Boock and Aufderheide families attended. The trip to New Ulm was Emma's first since her husband Arthur had suffered a fatal heart attack while attending church at St. Paul's in 1964.

The second letter was written on Grandma Emma's 81st birthday, 13 November 1965, to Marilyn (Boock) and Fred Schmidt, one week after their son Jonathon's birth. Because Fred was a minister and Marilyn graduated from Concordia College in St. Paul, as a Lutheran teacher, there is considerable church news. Of course, the social and spiritual connections to the Lutheran Church of the Wisconsin (in New Ulm) and Missouri Synods (Spencer) were the central theme in Art and Emma's life, as it was for most of the Boocks and Aufderheides at that time.

For the Graupners, in 1965, Ken was in UW Medical School, Philip was studying German in Germany, John was studying French and I, history, at UW; Cathy was in her senior year at Spencer High School and Chuck was in Eighth Grade.

For the Boocks, in 1965, Rev. Fred and Marilyn were in Edmonton, Canada, expecting their first child; David was teaching in Black River Falls; and Jerry was in his senior year (Cathy and he were classmates) at Spencer High School.


Spencer, Wisc. Oct 21-65

Dear Kenneth John & Jim!

I am slow in writing so this will do for all. jim had a letter from me for his birthday. Your mother [Gertrude]stopped in a few minutes ago on her way to P.T.A. She brought me some eggs & apples, yum! yum!

I do not believe that any one enjoyed the New Ulm visit as much as she did. When we got to the church in the morning we met two Gehrke girls, neighbors of ours in New Ulm and Norbert and you mother were daily visitors there. They had to look a while before they recognized each other, but then they reminisced and they again saw each other at the open House in the after noon. One of the girls had come from St. cloud that morning to attend the Centennial.

Rev. John Raabe preached for all three services. He's been Pastor at Litchfield Minn for many years. He's a son of Oliva Raabe. He wrote a humorous book on his boy hood years and Norbert is mentioned in it several times. The sent him [Norbert] the book today and am eager to read it. The classes (Confirmation) up to 1938 were in the school basement and the later ones in the church basement. Sandy was supposed to help at Church but with us and Hertha, Carol & Pam in the School, she never left us. I met only one from my Confirmation class at the school--Mrs. Prof Stindt. Quite a few have died and others are too feeble. Hertha Weddendorf, Lydia Bliefernicht and Minnie Broecker were [p. 2] confirmed with me, in 1898, but they are not very well. We called on Hertha Weddendorf. Did not find Clara. She must have been on a trip.

Bertha was at the Union Hospital in bad shape. She was very confused but did recognize us, but she did not realize where she was. She always was so much fun but there will come an end to all things!
We stopped at the cemetery first and left an artificial plant for Grandpa's [Arthur] grave. Then we decided to say hello to Witts at the Funeral Home and they would not let us go. We had to promise to stay for supper and for the night. In between we made calls. This worked out real well because Hertha & Carol & Pam were staying with Sandy. The two George's did not come and Pam had permission to stay with her mother. She likes it fine at D.M.L. College but she says there are too few boys in her class. Hertha & Carol drove to N.U. with a pastor or Luth teacher from Columbus. They left their car at Columbus.

Mrs. Laura Plath a former neighbor of ours now living in Bloomington Mpls was buried here on Tuesday with services by the pastor and vicar of Marshfield (Immanuel's church).

Your Dad is finally getting the upper hand on his land here, like all our good [p. 3] farmers and he's real happy now. The corn should soon be ripe. As yet we have not had a hard fronst. He had Kresselt in last week to chop.

our Renters are packing and will be out by Monday. The bought a farm near his Dad's. I'll have Sandy Verch and husband Mondloch in. She's working and he is doing trucking out of Milwaukee, but is home 3 or 4 days a week.

Marilyn & Fred already were in a snowstorm and icy roads. their winters must be very long there.

We encountered daylight time (regular) in Minnesota, and had to change watch time for two days. Well, soon we will be on regular time, too.

We should have a pastor (regular) soon. Three calls were returned and our attendance and collections are dimminishing.

We may come your way yet some time this fall. Norbert said he'd like to go to Watertown some time. Maybe we can get in touch with some of you. Will you be home for Thanksgiving? How long a vacation would you have then? Maybe John will come some weekend or is he too busy?

Must close. Hope this will find you all well and happy. Let John and James read this too.

Love Grandma B (over)

I had two post cards from Philip but he did not say anything about coming home. He and Ursel were sight seeing in Prag.

Spencer Wisc. Nov. 13. 1965

Dear Marilyn & Fred: -- We all are still up in the air about the new increase in family and wish that you were not so far away, so we could see him often. I suppose you, Marilyn, are feeling fairly strong by now. Just take it easy and don't mind being a little lazy for a while. It will pay off in the end. If only Grandpa Boock could be here to rejoice over the prince. You were always his princess. Elsie Schulz took me along to the Sommers at Neenah last weekend. Dorothy & Otto, Nita, Betty & all came over in the afternoon and Dorothy was telling how Grandpa would brag about his little princess at Mpls. while Dorothy was working for him at the bank. [Photo: Emma and Arthur Boock with "princess" Marilyn, in Minneapolis.]

Thanks for lovely stationery. I was going to get me some next time I shopped. The Giesekes gave me a pretty pair of brown gloves. This will be the first time I am not getting a birthday meal for all. Your mother invited me for Sunday dinner and on Saturdays no one cared to waste the time to celebrate. I've already had a lot of mail and expect some more. John wrote he could not be home until Thanksgiving and "lets celebrate then" so I may have them over for a meal then. Philip finished the house for his uncle [August Dauer, Schlangenbad] except the finishing inside and he had now been at Brussels sightseeing and he was at the largest Art exhibit which he had [p. 2] never hoped to see. Hanni wrote that they will miss him so much when he leaves. His ticket will expire in February. Then, I suppose, the army will take him.

Your Dad has been stopping in with my mail around five every eve. Then a little later Jerry joins him here. The boys practice at school so late and very few boys from the farm can join the ball teams because they have to be home for chores.

Attended church services at Neenah (Wisc Synod). This is the daughter church of a large and beautiful new church there. They took us over there, too, and the pastor & wife showed us all around. It is so very beautiful. I told him (pastor) that I'm Missouri and he said "you've got some very brilliant men in your Synod." He, Rev. Schaefer, has been in Neenah for 33 yrs.

My renters seem to be well satisfied here. He trucks out of mlwkee and comes home Fridays. She works at Land O Lakes and their hours vary. Sometimes she has to go at 5 or 6, sometimes later. Their home is nicely furnished but she wants a door on the first landing and we're still waiting for the carpenters to do that.

Bertha Ruemke is still at the N.U. Hospital. She's all confused in her mind and some one is with her continually. During the night they tie her so she won't fall out. If God will only take her soon. [p. 3] Just now your mother [Marian Boock] called to congratulate me for the 81st. She said you had written and told all about the baby. Don't worry, he will be fine. When Howard A[ufderheide] was born, they used the instruments so hard that he had a big gash on his forehead over the eye, and after a while that all disappeared. That was during the bad Flu Epidemic and all hospitals were filled, so Sandy's mother and I took care of her and baby at home. I did not think he ever would look normal.

Today we've got our first snow but it rained hard first and now the snow looks just like heavy frost.

Today we have Clothing Drive Pickup. I had things packed for them when Bill Krueger came in and looked at it and he took two of Grandpa B.s heavy overcoats. The rest I did not send because it was all little stuff. But now I know that Grandpa's coats went to a good place.

The Rev. Baer's are going to St. Paul for Thanksgiving. His father, a retired pastor, & wife had gone to the west to stay with a daughter but they did not like it there, so they came back to Mpls & St. Paul to visit daughters and Thanksgiving Rev. Geo Baer will bring them back to Watertown with him for a visit. Pam will have only one day's vacation which she will spend with them in St. Paul. I wrote hertha & George to visit us during that time. They bought a beautiful [p. 4] homeon one floor, no basement or attic and Watertown is a nice place to live in with the college atmosphere, and a lot of them living there are old friends of theirs from college days and they have been invited out and had lots of company. Pam likes it at Dr. martin Luther College, New Ulm.

We still have no pastor just those from Mshfld, but they are good. One problem was "Communion for Shutins," but they thought maybe the spryer ones could be taken to the Chapel before regular services. Our church has got too many steops to walk for old people.

Gertrude just now called and sent Birthday greetings. Cathy has been going to Wausau, Madison & Mshfld for college ability meetings. She does not have her Drivers License.

My Drivers License was renewed this month for another 2 years, no trougle at all.

it takes so long for mail to go back and forth to you so will close and try to get it in the P.O. before noon.

Greetings and lots of love to you three.

Grandma Boock

Let me know what your little one could use in clothing, etc. and I will let your mother select something for me.