Gertrude Emilie (Behrens) Krey of Wilmington, a German immigrant with a flair for storytelling, died Monday at Lahey Clinic after a brief illness. She was 96.
Born and raised in Posen, Germany - now the Polish city of Poznan - her father was the mayor of a neighboring suburb, Moschin. Mrs. Krey and her family endured World War I in their hometown and moved to Silesia, where she met her future husband, the late Rev. Rudolph E.M. Krey.
After Rev. Krey moved to the United States to serve German-speaking immigrants, Mrs. Krey followed in 1925. The two settled in Union City, Conn., and lived in several Massachusetts and Pennsylvania towns.
The Kreys weathered the Great Depression in America and returned to Germany in 1939 with their eight children. As American citizens, they were caught in Germany during World War II. During the war, Mrs. Krey gave birth to four children, one of whom died as an infant in a refugee camp.
In 1947, the family returned to Massachusetts and Mrs. Krey gave birth to the last of her 16 children in 1954.
A devoted mother, Mrs. Krey woke at five every morning to prepare breakfast for her family and related news and weather forecasts, read Bible verses and said prayers to start her family for the day. She baked fresh bread, tended to her large garden and raised poultry on the family land in Wilmington.
Mrs. Krey is survived by eight daughters, seven sons, 41 grandchildren and 32 great-grandchildren.
Burial will be in Wilmington's Wildwood Cemetery.
Info from Boston Herald
Born and raised in Posen, Germany - now the Polish city of Poznan - her father was the mayor of a neighboring suburb, Moschin. Mrs. Krey and her family endured World War I in their hometown and moved to Silesia, where she met her future husband, the late Rev. Rudolph E.M. Krey.
After Rev. Krey moved to the United States to serve German-speaking immigrants, Mrs. Krey followed in 1925. The two settled in Union City, Conn., and lived in several Massachusetts and Pennsylvania towns.
The Kreys weathered the Great Depression in America and returned to Germany in 1939 with their eight children. As American citizens, they were caught in Germany during World War II. During the war, Mrs. Krey gave birth to four children, one of whom died as an infant in a refugee camp.
In 1947, the family returned to Massachusetts and Mrs. Krey gave birth to the last of her 16 children in 1954.
A devoted mother, Mrs. Krey woke at five every morning to prepare breakfast for her family and related news and weather forecasts, read Bible verses and said prayers to start her family for the day. She baked fresh bread, tended to her large garden and raised poultry on the family land in Wilmington.
Mrs. Krey is survived by eight daughters, seven sons, 41 grandchildren and 32 great-grandchildren.
Burial will be in Wilmington's Wildwood Cemetery.
Info from Boston Herald
Gertrude Emilie (Behrens) Krey of Wilmington, a German immigrant with a flair for storytelling, died Monday at Lahey Clinic after a brief illness. She was 96.
Born and raised in Posen, Germany - now the Polish city of Poznan - her father was the mayor of a neighboring suburb, Moschin. Mrs. Krey and her family endured World War I in their hometown and moved to Silesia, where she met her future husband, the late Rev. Rudolph E.M. Krey.
After Rev. Krey moved to the United States to serve German-speaking immigrants, Mrs. Krey followed in 1925. The two settled in Union City, Conn., and lived in several Massachusetts and Pennsylvania towns.
The Kreys weathered the Great Depression in America and returned to Germany in 1939 with their eight children. As American citizens, they were caught in Germany during World War II. During the war, Mrs. Krey gave birth to four children, one of whom died as an infant in a refugee camp.
In 1947, the family returned to Massachusetts and Mrs. Krey gave birth to the last of her 16 children in 1954.
A devoted mother, Mrs. Krey woke at five every morning to prepare breakfast for her family and related news and weather forecasts, read Bible verses and said prayers to start her family for the day. She baked fresh bread, tended to her large garden and raised poultry on the family land in Wilmington.
Mrs. Krey is survived by eight daughters, seven sons, 41 grandchildren and 32 great-grandchildren.
Burial will be in Wilmington's Wildwood Cemetery.
Info from Boston Herald
Born and raised in Posen, Germany - now the Polish city of Poznan - her father was the mayor of a neighboring suburb, Moschin. Mrs. Krey and her family endured World War I in their hometown and moved to Silesia, where she met her future husband, the late Rev. Rudolph E.M. Krey.
After Rev. Krey moved to the United States to serve German-speaking immigrants, Mrs. Krey followed in 1925. The two settled in Union City, Conn., and lived in several Massachusetts and Pennsylvania towns.
The Kreys weathered the Great Depression in America and returned to Germany in 1939 with their eight children. As American citizens, they were caught in Germany during World War II. During the war, Mrs. Krey gave birth to four children, one of whom died as an infant in a refugee camp.
In 1947, the family returned to Massachusetts and Mrs. Krey gave birth to the last of her 16 children in 1954.
A devoted mother, Mrs. Krey woke at five every morning to prepare breakfast for her family and related news and weather forecasts, read Bible verses and said prayers to start her family for the day. She baked fresh bread, tended to her large garden and raised poultry on the family land in Wilmington.
Mrs. Krey is survived by eight daughters, seven sons, 41 grandchildren and 32 great-grandchildren.
Burial will be in Wilmington's Wildwood Cemetery.
Info from Boston Herald
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
