The Spoering Reunion circa 1926

 Recently, one of my aunts wrote that the annual Spoering family reunion was going to fold, mainly because of poor attendance. It was getting harder for the older members of the family to complete the planning and work to have it. That is a sad thing, isn't it?

The photo above is of a Spoering reunion that took place in 1926 or thereabouts. From my uncle, I learned that generally the reunions were held in one of the family's barns which was cleaned and decorated for the occasion. Note the crepe paper hanging from the barn rafters in the photo. A carry-in dinner would be held and the leftovers then served for supper. Maybe there would be music, but certainly the kids would play hard all day and the adults would catch up on all the family and neighborhood news. What great memories would be made!

Here are the identities of the folks in the photo as given to me by various relatives:
Row 1 (left to right): Richard Spoering, Edmund Helmke, Alvin Spoering, Rudolph Elling (my father,) Alfred Elling, Helen Gerken Meyer, Alma Elling Hicksted, Marie Loudon Plassman, Anna Loudon Crew, Norma Loudon Schlosser, ....Schneider, Martha Spoering Sunderman, Marie Fouts Bockelman

At left standing - Fred Spoering, Anna Spoering Helmke, George Helmke
At right standing - Albert Gerken, ...?, Henry Spoering, ...Storch

Row 2: Anna Spoering, Adolph Baden, Mary Spoering Koppenhoffer Baden, Alvina Cohrs, Lydia Spoering Loudon and baby Ruth Loudon Rupp Switzer, Ida Spoering Elling (my grandmother) and baby Lorna Elling Hausch, Clara Marsch Plassman and baby Harold, Adelia Marsch Panning, Emma Storch, Sophia Spoering Marsch, Emma Gerken Baden.

Row 3: Esther Marsch Barnes May, Gertrude Spoering Sandman, Dorothy Loudon Flint, Helen Gerken Meyer, Helen Marsch Miller, Pauline Helmke Polker, Helen Hoops Drewes, Esther Spoering, Alma Hoops, Martha Marsch Ohlrich, Katherina Spoering Tietje Elling.

Row 4: Paul Elling, Alvin Gerken, Harold Helmke, George Loudon, Albert Fouts, Frieda Spoering Fouts Lange, Augusta Spoering Hahn, Amelia Spoering Slagle, Erna Bremer Baden.

Row 5: Bill Tietje, Harry Loudon, Otto (Emil?) Panning, Albert Elling (my grandfather,) Ernest Plassman, Emil Koppenhoffer, George Spoering, Ernest Marasch, Emil Hahn, Arthur Bremer.

(If someone knows the identities of those not named or if you see a mistake in identification, please let me know.)

Just click on the photo to see a great close-up of those faces!

You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them. ~Desmond Tutu

I don't care how poor a man is; if he has family, he's rich. ~Dan Wilcox and Thad Mumford, "Identity Crisis," M*A*S*H