I believe Walter, my Grandpa, was born in Missouri in 1913. "Gramps" is what I called him. Im not certain of the date, but, Grandpa married Marie Clara Reetz. Together they had {I believe} 5 children. They were Anita, Lorraine, Delmar, Larry, & Danny. Marie died of Cancer at age 31. I was told that Danny was around 2 when she died. Grandpa Wilsons mother was Elizabeth Wilson Hermen. Elizabeth was born in Hawkeye Missouri on July 4th 1892.She died on April 28th, 1967. Gramps also had a sister, named Lola Grace Wilson McDonald. She was 4 years older than him. Lola was 56 when she died in 1965. I have no idea who she may have married, or why her last name is McDonald. She and her mother are both buried in Sunnyside Memorial Gardens in Charles City. Nobody knows anything about his real father. His step father was Jake Hermen who his mother later married. Jake died in 1967. Grandpa did have 2 half brothers. Their names were June and Alfred Hermen. Several years after Marie died,Gramps married Doris Thompson, who was 18 years younger than he. She helped to raise his children. Grandma Doris was the only Grandmother I have ever known. I love her dearly, even though I could never understand why I always had to go to church with her!! Doris & Walter together adopted a daughter, Brenda, as a young child. They raised Brenda, and also their grandson, Darin, for several years. Walter and Doris enjoyed raising horses, going to horse shows with Brenda, and Darin and I. On weekends they would take us to horse sales all over Iowa, and would also enter us in horse shows almost every weekend during the summer. Gramps loved horses, and taught us to ride, compete in shows,and took us to trail rides on many occassions. We learned to show and break horses, and loved every chance we got to spend weekends with him at the farm! I have so many fond memories of growing up around the farm with all of the horses, and other animals!Gramps was a wonderful, kind and loving person...he gave us all so much love and happiness! He loved Grandma Doris more than anything in the world. They were 2 of the most awesome people God ever created! I thank God for having them in my life & in the lives of my siblings! We will miss you Gramps!
I believe Walter, my Grandpa, was born in Missouri in 1913. "Gramps" is what I called him. Im not certain of the date, but, Grandpa married Marie Clara Reetz. Together they had {I believe} 5 children. They were Anita, Lorraine, Delmar, Larry, & Danny. Marie died of Cancer at age 31. I was told that Danny was around 2 when she died. Grandpa Wilsons mother was Elizabeth Wilson Hermen. Elizabeth was born in Hawkeye Missouri on July 4th 1892.She died on April 28th, 1967. Gramps also had a sister, named Lola Grace Wilson McDonald. She was 4 years older than him. Lola was 56 when she died in 1965. I have no idea who she may have married, or why her last name is McDonald. She and her mother are both buried in Sunnyside Memorial Gardens in Charles City. Nobody knows anything about his real father. His step father was Jake Hermen who his mother later married. Jake died in 1967. Grandpa did have 2 half brothers. Their names were June and Alfred Hermen. Several years after Marie died,Gramps married Doris Thompson, who was 18 years younger than he. She helped to raise his children. Grandma Doris was the only Grandmother I have ever known. I love her dearly, even though I could never understand why I always had to go to church with her!! Doris & Walter together adopted a daughter, Brenda, as a young child. They raised Brenda, and also their grandson, Darin, for several years. Walter and Doris enjoyed raising horses, going to horse shows with Brenda, and Darin and I. On weekends they would take us to horse sales all over Iowa, and would also enter us in horse shows almost every weekend during the summer. Gramps loved horses, and taught us to ride, compete in shows,and took us to trail rides on many occassions. We learned to show and break horses, and loved every chance we got to spend weekends with him at the farm! I have so many fond memories of growing up around the farm with all of the horses, and other animals!Gramps was a wonderful, kind and loving person...he gave us all so much love and happiness! He loved Grandma Doris more than anything in the world. They were 2 of the most awesome people God ever created! I thank God for having them in my life & in the lives of my siblings! We will miss you Gramps!
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