Mom Syns

My mom’s parents were my favorite grandparents. I can’t lie about that. Grandma had a candy closet, I mean c’mon! Just me – sometimes 2-4 of my cousins – would play cards with them for HOURS (one time I came home at 2 am, mom yelled at me – but I was like, “They’re the ones that ordered pizza at midnight.”) Grandma usually won – she played ‘dumb’ well, but knew her cards. Grandpa would make noises or just tell her to shut up and play cards as she would go off tangents quite easily (a family trait I picked up from my mom – it’s passed down).

My grandma, Frances, moved to Stevens Point when she was a little girl and married my grandfather at age 18. Her family was mainly German (her mother still spoke German until she died) and perhaps she was a little French (which explains my mom’s dark hair). Now, I know this is true – she is directly descended from the Strasser Family Singers (they were the first ones ever to sing “Silent Night”.  Now, that’s cool!!

My grandpa, Harold,  grew up in central Wisconsin, had a huge farm and sold it bit by bit to the city of Stevens Point almost until his death. He wore many hats. First he was a police officer (first one to ride a Harley in Wisconsin), Sheriff of Portage County (my grandma would cook food for the convicts), barbershop singer, real estate broker, farmer, drive-in owner, and father – to 12 kids. The most infamous story about my grandfather was that he was the one that was called in and unlocked Ed Gein’s house for the FBI. He was sheriff at the time. Gross, scary – but still cool. He never talked about it that much – but he did say how awful the smell was and the feeling he had during that awful business was not something he liked discussing. Understandable. I’m also the only grandchild (they had 40 of them) to be named after him.

My grandma died at 87 due to cancer. My grandpa was 95 and passed away due to old age.

Here comes the long part…. they had 12 kids….

The Dozen

Oldest to Youngest:

Shirley – 3 kids and has the eldest grandchild in the family

Jack – 8 kids (one of his kids, Judy was my 5th grade teacher – since my cousin Rick was the same age she would have either taught him or me since we were that same school.)

Jane – 3 kids

Joanie – 4 kids (my cousin David would torment me whenever we visited them)

Tommy – 6 kids (had twin girls)

Marilyn – 2 kids

Ruth – 2 kids (adopted, but still my cousins!!!!)

Elaine – 3 kids (one is autistic)

Alice – 2 kids

Then the triplets:

Billy – one kid (Troy used to babysit us alot)

Betty – 4 kids (she has the youngest grandchild)

Bonnie – 2 kids (she’s my mom)

** Of the last 5 kids, all of their children were very close – Betty lived blocks away from my mom, so gorwing up we spent all of our holidays together and played together alot. Betty moved away from central Wisconsin in the 1980s and things have not been the same. They do still talk everyday – but it’s not like how it was. Elaine’s , Alice’s and Billy’s kids have also grown up and I don’t talk to them at all any more – but we did have fun in our childhood. We used to camp, swim, play ball, etc – 1970s, great time to be a kid! **