This is one of my favorite pictures of mom on her birthday. It was taken in our kitchen on Guenther Street in Oshkosh September 25, 1972. Remember back then when we used 35 mm cameras with real film? We had to wait until we used up all the film before we would take it to the local store to get it developed. Depending on how many pictures we took or could afford to get developed it might be months before we saw what we took a picture of. And then we had to settle for whatever kind of shot we took. (there were no do overs) Until you got the prints you didn't know if people had their eyes closed, or if their faces were shadowed by a tree or if the picture was blurry because someone was moving at the time the picture was taken. Well, I felt I got lucky on this picture. Even though odds weren't in my favor since the brightness of the sun was coming in through the window behind mom, I still got her face. I just fell in love with how the picture seemed to have a warm glow about it. I thank God we now have digital cameras, but I still own the camera that I used to take this shot - an Argus/Cosina STL1000. I have no idea if they still make film anymore (they must) and I'm sure I don't remember how to use it. For grins some day maybe I'll get it out and try it.
Monty, man who worked for Precast Concrete Specialties Inc. for 35 years before he retired passed away and his funeral was today. My sister JoAnn and I visited the family at the local funeral home to pay our respects. We represented the entire Schroeder family since none of our siblings were able to attend.
When my mom and dad owned their businesses they ran them as if everyone was a family member. I remember the Christmas parties that they gave. They were a true party in every sense of the word. In the early years the parties were in our home in the basement, complete with food, plenty of drinks (in some cases too many drinks), music and always sing-a-longs. In later years they were at the Friendly Bar and then Winro Supper Club, both in Omro, Wisconsin. We actually had live bands play at those places and danced all night long. Well, Nancy, Monty's wife brought up her memories of the Christmas parties. She remembered them as if they just happened and these parties began 45 years ago. The thing she remembered and loved the most were the cannibal sandwiches that my dad served. She evidently grew up eating these sandwiches and she said she always had a soft spot in her heart for my father because he was so down to earth and served cannibal sandwiches at the company Christmas parties. If you are from the old German heritage you should know that a cannibal sandwich consisted of. If you're not from this heritage here's the recipe:
Cannibal Sandwich Recipe
- lb. raw ground round - Very Lean hamburger
- couple eggs
- onion - chopped
- salt
- pepper
- rye bread with the seeds
How To Prepare Cannibal Sandwich
Place Raw ground round in a bowlAdd eggs, onion, salt and pepper
Mix ingredients together
Spoon onto a slice of rye bread, just like you would tuna fish. Put another piece of rye bread on the top and you are done.
Nancy was genuinely happy that we came. I don't think younger people understand how important funerals and visitations are. You don't go for the deceased, you go for the family left on this earth. I remember both my parents' funerals and we were so blessed to have so many people attend. I loved hearing all the stories that they shared with us. Some of the stories we never heard before. It's nice to hear how other people viewed your parents. The six of us have remembered these stories and some we have repeated many times.
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