Summer 2019
This is to fill in details from the summer. Ed is doing lots of work around the farm sprucing things up. Really taking advantage of retirement! Chris got a full-time job in IT with IonWave Technologies! I am having my right knee replaced in a couple of weeks. Erin is doing well and her parents moved to Alaska! I know I am looking forward to visiting them at some point!!! We lost Leon Wilding to his new life with God. We carry on and look forward to good things.
Today is Sept 1, 2019. My surgery was 8/15 and I am doing better than I expected. That is something I thank God for daily and for all the prayers I received. More later - but I am thinking of discontinuing my website. I need feedback if you find it valuable!
9/22/19 and counting - still pain, swelling and stiffness. Hadn't counted on such a long recovery period. Supposedly, according to the physical therapist it is normal as they did a lot in my leg.
Iris died 9/18 (of cancer) - I miss her. Norma Ritter died 9/20/19. Lots of wakes and funerals.
Iris was a friend of less than 20 years. Norma, a cousin, I was flower girl in her wedding some 67 years ago. Norma had 8 children and many grandchildren and a few great-grandchildren.
Iris and Norma rest in peace in the arms of the Lord.
Winter 2019
It has been a long and trying winter! There has been a lot of snow and a lot of cold weather. I have been trying to get exercise in and I have not missed much water aerobics. Today the sun is shining and that helps so much. On the other hand, it is 0 degrees and we are in March. Daffodils, Irises and surprise lilies are up but just can't get going. Ed is getting close to retirement (just working Tue, Wed, Thurs until April 1). He has been walking with me (no matter how cold) on Fri, Sat and Sun. It helps when you have a support person!
Good stuff - Valentine's Day - holding Terra's twins and beautiful red roses from Ed and a lovely plant! A Friday in Columbia with Chris, including the Archelogy and Art and Anthropology museums. A nice visit with John and Mae and some good movies.
Top movie recommendations - Green Book and The Upside - both based on true stories. I will add some pictures! Stay well and happy!
Tis the season! Preparation for the celebration of Jesus' birth! Tree and Nativities up, cookies baked for charities and guests, and spiritual preparation.
My favorite is the Little Blue Book with stories and biblical meditations. Every day, something new to prepare for the Coming.
I am hurriedly finishing socks (knitted) for Ed's Christmas. Shopping mostly done and minimal as I try not to buy "stuff!"
A merry Christmas to all as you prepare in your own way with your favorite traditions and love for those near and dear to you!
My amazing parents captured for the ages!
hardcopy $30, soft cover $20
It was a long time dream to incorporate my dad's writings and my reflections about him in a bound book. I achieved this goal in July of 2015.
If you go by the Red Barn Frame Shop in Hermann, it is for sale there.
$20 softcover or $30 hard cover to
Mary Wilding
3721 Hwy B
Berger, MO 63014 and I will send you the preferred copy pronto! (shipping and handling included!)
woodpecker tree in Wilding Museum
A beautiful day for Uncle Paul's Birthday Party!
Berger - 200 year party! It was Saturday, Sept 22 - noon - 6pm - a perfect day for a perfect celebration!
Many thanks to the planning group, all who contributed desserts, put up the tent, took down the tent and all who came to visit and make it a great day.
Additional thanks to the Boy Scouts, Grant Bucher, Ray Ham, Penn State Chicken! It was a lovely day and hopefully there will be more!
Some of the Berger info has been moved to Berger MO - 200 years (click on tab Berger Peeps). I will be moving more of the Berger pictures. Some things have just been moved to the bottom of this page!
THERE ARE STILL COPIES OF BERGER BICENTENNIAL SOUVENIER BOOKS AVAILABLE FOR $2 EACH. GET THEM AT THE RED BARN FRAME SHOP FOR $2 EACH OR FROM ME. WILL SHIP FOR $1 ADDITIONAL.
The rest of this page is part of my personal website. If you are here for Berger, you can continue to other tabs, (Billie Ruth, Susan Brooks, and Berger MO Peeps are all exclusively dedicated to Berger). Thank you for your interest!
Oct 2017 - I got to meet Erin's mom, Vicki, and spend precious time with all 3 of them!
Hubert's Prayer
I found this in Uncle Hubert's prayer book after he died in January 2000. It was on a worn piece of paper. It had no title. It makes me think of him and how he lived. On the following picture, Uncle Hubert is 4th from the right.
Pictured left to right Theresa, Clare and Joe Everdon, Henry, Clara Sidney, Hubert, Marie Groner, Paul and Martha. Theresa, Clare, and Martha are my mother's sisters, Henry, Hubert and Paul are her brothers. Marie is George's wife. Clara Sidney is their sister, Caroline's daughter. My mother, Ida, Caroline, and George were already deceased when this picture was taken.
In 2009, per request, I wrote an article for the online Missouri Historical Society magazine, "Voices". I am including a link to this article. It was the beginning of my desire to collect the numerous notes and journals he wrote into a book and have it published. I have had many positive comments about the book!
http://www.mhmvoices.org/2009SpringFeature2.php
For more about Clem Wilding and his carvings please go to "Daddy's Carvings"!
More Berger history (not yet rewritten in the Berger Peeps section)!
Friday, December 8, 2017, I went to visit Ivan and get some info about the pictures. Did he have the goods! I listened and wrote until I went into overload. I am going to share what I can make sense out of my notes!
Otto Schmidt built his beautiful house in 1908. Haid (I need Liz Fields to help with Haid history), built his house in 1910.
Let's talk for a minute about Blumers. Esias came from Germany (I think) and was an undertaker. His son was Herman Blumer (also an undertaker), and Herman added a lumber company and furniture store to the Funeral Parlor. Paul Blumer was Herman's son and was born in 1903. He was the undertaker when my Grandmother (Clara Groner) died in the early 70's. My grandfather, Paul Groner, Senior died in 1957 and I also remember his visitation at the Blumer funeral home.
Herman Blumer married Herman Wedepohl's daughter, Ida. Herman Wedepohl was a blacksmith (shop was across from the post office.) He also sold machinery, such as binders, plows and cultivators. Later, Allis-Chalmers bought out the Milwakee Binder Company.
Henry Stoepleman originally had the house that Sue Black now owns. Ivan's uncle, Walter Foderhase, married Henry Stoepleman's daughter, Bertha, in 1908.
Ivan's mom was Nettie Foderhase. When she married Arthur W. Meyer (not to be confused with Arthur T. Meyer), she wanted to live on the farm in the bottom where she was born. Her husband lived on Hwy 100, several miles west of Hwy Z. The house in the bottom, by the way, was built by my grandfather, Herman Wilding, and his son Adolph in 1904 - 1905. It had 6 rooms and all the materials and labor cost $1400 at that time. Later on, a summer kitchen was added for $100. Ivan went to the same school his mom attended, the Lower Berger bottom school.
Ivan's mother also had a sister, Lily. She married Walter Gruber and I had the pleasure of knowing her in my childhood as they were neighbors and we shared part of the private road with them. Walter and Lily's children and grandchildren are still a pleasure to know!
Another home in Berger was built by Bill Schaeffner. Joy Schaeffner was Bill's son and at one time there were two hatcheries in Berger. Schaeffner's and Lerb's both had Berger hatcheries. Later, the Schaeffner house was owned by Archie Willimann, Senior. Within the last 15 years, Greg Birkmann (grandson) moved this house outside the city limits on Hwy B. He turned it into a beautiful home and still kept the memories of his grandparents!
Ivan's dad had a team of mules and 2 horses, one horse to ride and a heavier one. In 1923, the team of mules cost $400 and the horses $150 each.
The train wreck pictured? Two trains ran together.
The farm where I live was originally owned by Jacob Schaffner who was Ivan's great grandfather. His grandmother was Caroline. When she was 18, she married Johann Meyer (he came from Germany). He went by John and was 36 years old when they married. He died when he was 52. Caroline later married Jacob Betz who lived almost to 89 years old (died in 1948).
Ivan said his dad also went to the World's Fair in St. Louis in 1904. Ivan said his dad was 20 or 21 years old when he went.
Ivan's mom also had a brother that died when he was 4 years old. He is buried in the Etlah bottom.
The picture of the Mule barn with all the water, Ivan thought must have been taken in 1903. That was a big flood and there was not another big one until 1935.
In the pictures there were also stacks of wheat. They would stack it and in the fall thrash it to get the seed out when it wasn't so hot.
The postcards with the sheep? Ivan said Fahrmeir had sheep in the bottom but his sheep farming didn't last long. It must have not been as lucrative as he had hoped.
In 1933, Haid's big elevator burned.
Hall's Saloon, also pictured was later owned by Chris Hug. Mrs. Stroebel's dad was Chris Hug. In 1948, the saloon burned and Gus Stroebel build another floor on. Later, this saloon was owned and run by Mack Groner and the last time it was open it was run by Darlene McDaris.
Otto Schmidt was 83 when he died of a stroke. He had 3 boys. Russel died in a car accident when his truck turned over and he was killed (Etlah and Olive road.) He was in his late 20's, I believe. Ray died at 75 in a car wreck near Labadie where he lived. The third was Ralph and he lived in Berger until he died.
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