Your Mom’s side of the family gathered in Moorhead, Minnesota last weekend. The Kruschke clan came together “in mass”.
The thing you learn quickly is that there are a lot of Kruschkes. Your Mom’s Mom (Nana) was one of nine kids. Those nine kids had kids of their own and “so the explosion of future generations” goes.
Otto and Ellen Kruschke had nine kids. One remains. Lois Kruschke and she was the “caboose” of the family (kind of like our Grasshopper No. 5) and she was celebrating her 90th birthday. She looks like Nana. She has the same values as Nana. She talks like Nana. There was amazing resemblance.
So the reunion really consisted of the Grandchildren of Otto and Ellen Kruschke returning “home”.
The nine children of Otto and Ellen were Amie, Armie, Nana, Orville, Minerva, Harold, Caroline, Marvin, and Lois, in that order.
The senior Kruschkes that remain (are 65-80 years old), and are the Grandchildren of Otto and Ellen. Your Mom is one of the remaining “seniors”.
Most of the “senior” Kruschke descendants (not including your Mom) grew up around Moorhead and have farming tradition in their DNA’s. So they talked, talked, talked and talked some more about the good old days back on the farm. They all gave themselves permission to “go back and relive the good old days”. They enjoyed themselves. They allowed me to witness.
Love (more on Kruschke’s reunion next time),
Dad