REUNITING. RECONNECTING. REMEMBERING. Those words define reunions, whether among family or friends. Summer marks prime reunion time in Minnesota, including for me, especially this year.
From Pine River in northern Minnesota to Vesta on the southwestern Minnesota prairie to the Twin Cities and elsewhere, I’ve reconnected with people who are important to me, with whom I share roots and/or connections. And it’s been a joy because the older I grow, the more I realize that time is not a given and we need to gather and appreciate one another. With hugs, love and care.
My most recent reunion happened July 28, when Randy and I traveled 2.5 hours west to my hometown of Vesta in Redwood County for the Kletscher Family Reunion, held annually on the last Sunday in July. First we stopped at the cemetery to visit the gravesites of my parents, grandparents and other family members. I wiped away tears before we followed the gravel road into town, to the reunion site, the former Vesta Elementary School, now turned city hall and community center.
To walk back into the building where I spent my first six grades learning to read, write, spell, do math and more felt comforting and disconcerting, like stepping back into a school that no longer looks the same, but still holds the same memories. Clapping erasers outside on the east brick wall. Listening to Mrs. Kotval read Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books after lunch. Scrawling letters in a penmanship book. Weaving a rug from rags. Building snowforts. Jumping rope on the front sidewalk. Performing on the stage. So many memories in this space.
And on Sunday, that space also held some 60-70 descendants of Henry and Ida Kletscher, parents of twelve, two dead in infancy and only three surviving today. The family tree, printed on 30 pieces of paper, stretched across several tables. I am one of 39 grandchildren, my children among 114 great grandchildren of Henry and Ida in a line that today also includes 114 great great grandchildren and one great great great grandchild. We are a large and prolific bunch that continues to grow. That we still gather annually is a testament to the strength of family bonds. I grew up near my paternal grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, spending lots of time together.
But my generation and those thereafter have scattered well outside Redwood County. Family arrived from Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota and all parts of Minnesota from Blaine to Delano to Alexandria to Owatonna, Faribault, Waseca, and many other communities near and far. Those from even more distant locations like the East Coast did not attend.
As at all reunions, I intentionally circulated, attempting to converse with everyone at some point. This gathering, conversations were not so much about the past as about the present. We talked kids, grandkids, retirement (or not), health challenges, home improvement projects… There was a lot of phone scrolling, too, to show photos of grandchildren.
I cooed over new baby Wren; met Aubrey from West Fargo, going into first grade and whose name was easy for me to remember (and mine for her); saw photos of a wedding dress under construction by bride-to-be Sarah; encouraged Andy, who is in a drug trial study at Mayo Clinic for his debilitating heart condition; listened to Lynn’s recitation of a humorous poem her teacher didn’t appreciate back in the day; admired Aunt Iylene’s tatting projects (which she gave away on Sunday and which honor Grandma Ida, who also tatted); listened to stories of heartaches and challenges and life.
And then there was the impromptu concert by my cousin Kirt, who plays accordion. He brought his and was also gifted, at the reunion, with Aunt Ardyce’s 73-year-old accordion, a gift to her from her parents when she was only thirteen. She took lessons briefly as did two of her children. But the instrument has mostly sat in its case for seven decades…until Kirt picked it up and commenced to play, but only to a select few of us in the entry hallway. To watch my 86-year-old aunt, seated next to her nephew, listening intently to “her” accordion brought me such joy. I couldn’t help but think how happy this moment would have made my grandparents.
We were here, in this place, because of Henry and Ida. Henry served as clerk of Independent School District #639 when the Vesta School was built in 1958. To think that, 66 years later, Grandpa’s descendants would gather here to celebrate family felt incredibly right. Two hours after we ate a potluck lunch (which always includes blueberry dessert), we honored Henry and Ida with 1919 root beer floats. My grandparents were married in November 1919.
Here we were in 2024, a family still going strong—reuniting, reconnecting, remembering and honoring the legacy of Henry and Ida Kletscher. Henry, the 25-year-old farmer, who married Ida just days before her eighteenth birthday 105 years ago.
#
FYI: In addition to the Kletscher Family Reunion, I’ve reconnected in July with Sue, a blogging friend; aunts from New Jersey and Missouri and family from Minneapolis; my son from Boston; and met three of Randy’s cousins originally from North Dakota. There are more gatherings to come with a Helbling Family Reunion in two weeks and 50-year class reunions for Randy and me in September.
© Copyright 2024 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
It was so good to see you and Randy! You wrote a beautiful Kletscher story!
Thank you, Bev. It was an absolute surprise, and a joy, to see you (and Andy) are the reunion! I had the best time talking with family. Love you!
That is quite the reunion — so glad you could go and connect with so many. What a blessing.
I was glad I could attend this year, too. It’s been awhile since I’ve gotten to a reunion, last year because I was basically housebound due to my long haul COVID. So thankful to be back living life and continuing to (mostly) successfully manage my symptoms. That said, I felt utterly exhausted after the reunion and yesterday.
You certainly have had busy summer. I enjoyed your family reunion and summer recap. Now you have one more August gathering/reunion to organize and attend. What a blessing for you to reconnect with so many people to share family stories and food.
The blessing of reconnecting included having lunch with you and Charley in Pine River. We always enjoy our visits. I am thankful that I am feeling well enough this summer to be out and about and attending all of these get togethers.
What a testament to your family to continue this great get together! I loved seeing the family coat of arms, the summary of the family, and the school plaque. Thanks for sharing.
Yes, it’s wonderful that we still get together. That said, attendance is dropping. But, I hope we can continue to gather, even if numbers are smallish by Kletscher standards.
I look forward to the report of your family reunions. Your details are always touching and heartfelt. This time, the plaque with your grandfather’s name on it, as a founder of the school where you actually celebrated your reunion, was a highlight for me. A beautiful family connection. Well done, Kletschers.
Several years have passed since I attended the family reunion so I was happy to finally be there again. My Uncle Merlin and Aunt Iylene and their family organized the reunion this year. As always, the host family did a great job. I knew the plaque was there and then thought, oh, I need to photograph that. My one regret is leaving my 35 mm camera at home and relying on my cellphone. But maybe that was a good thing, otherwise I would have spent a lot of time taking pix and not as much time visiting.
It’s a credit that this is a regular occasion, not so seldom the generations have passed. Many reasons to work hard for good health!
It really is quite amazing that this reunion has been ongoing annually for decades. Like we say now, we want to see each other at something other than a funeral.
what a wonderful, wonderful gathering! how lucky you are to meet up , catch up, and share your gifts with with other. these reunions will never be forgotten by anyone who attends. what a great family you have
I do have a wonderful extended family of cousins, aunts and uncles. So grateful for them.
Whoa! I envy anyone attending a Family Reunion! This appears to have been a very lovely and enriching event! I was raised almost totally isolated from close family members. At one event back back in the late 1950s or early 1960s, a reunion was held and I had no idea I was related to so many people (over 100 attended). My Aunt held one in 2002 which she commemorated with a small booklet – a copy of which I have. It is heart warming to me to see a family holding or attending such an event. God Bless!
Sometimes I assume everyone my age or older grew up surrounded by a large extended family. It was truly a blessing to be among so many loving aunts, uncles and cousins, both as a child and now still today at that annual reunion. Thanks for sharing your background, Gunny.
what a nice way to spend some time with relatives and family celebrating your heritage . Making memories and sharing what going on in your lives. Looks like your having a good summer up north and enjoying nature too.🇧🇪🤗🎊👟😃🏕️🇺🇲 Roxy
It’s been a really good summer, compared to last summer when I was basically housebound due to long haul COVID. I am thankful to be doing so much better, well enough to enjoy life again.
Thank you for sharing our story, cousin. We are so lucky and honored to be amongst this group of people we get to call family. I appreciate reading your stories and commend you for always writing material tapped from your heart. Looking forward to catching up again next summer!
Thank you, Janelle. It was a wonderful reunion this past July, thanks to you and your entire nuclear family.