Berger Family Reunions


Scottsdale, Arizona

April 8 - 11, 2014
A Berger Cousins' Reunion was held during April 8 - 11, 2014, in Scottsdale, Arizona, headquartered at the Homewood Suites Hotel.  Thanks to Judy Johnson for all her efforts to find a suitable hotel, comnmunicating with all the cousins regarding how to sign up, letting us know who who will be attending, and suggesting possible outings for us to enjoy.

We had twelve cousins attending the reunion:
Jerry Berger Family: Margaret Hansen, Mary Chatfield, and Susan Bugge.
Ernest Berger Family: Clyde Berger (unfortunately Rod Berger and Dan Berger had to cancel their plans to attend - we missed both of you).
Dorothy Berger Hinck Family: Vicki Nauss.
Paula Berger Hilgendorf Family: Don Hilgendorf, Jane Hilgendorf, and Judy Johnson.
Otto Berger Family: Beth Grandy.
Marge Berger Zurstadt Family: Paula Hoegemeyer, Helen Genter, and Mary Mueller.

Spouses who also attended were Art Hansen, Marshall Bugge, Pat Berger, Allen Nauss, Don Johnson, Gale Grandy, Neal Hoegemeyer, Lynn Genter, and Gary Mueller.

The Homewood Suites worked out very well for our reunion.  Besides offering breakfast and dinner (excellent), the dining area provided a perfect location for the entire group to gather, socialize, and exchange family genealogies.  We also had a DVD show in the Hilgendorf/Johnson suite, where more family videos and stories were shared.  What was the name of that first lake, anyway?  It wasn't Hills Lake, of that we are fairly certain.  Several outings took place during our gathering.  Most of us went to the Desert Botanical Gardens Wednesday afternoon.  Featured there were many desert cacti as well as an extensive display of Chihuly Glass.  Wednesday evening we all gathered at the Organ Stop Pizza restaurant, featuring their Wurlitzer Pipe Organ.  An impressive performance was given by the organist of that evening.  We were also joined there by Oetjen second cousins Dave Geske and his wife Debbie, and Jon Wiedenheft.  On Thursday, a number of cousins drove to Don and Judy Johnson's home in nearby Peoria.  Also on Thursday, all the Zurstadt cousins and their husbands went to the Musical Instrument Museum. 


As mentioned above, it was special to have two of our Oetjen cousins join us.  Thank you for attending our reunion.  Jon Wiedenheft stayed in town Wednesday evening rather than return to his home in Flagstaff and returned to our hotel Thursday morning, so we were able to go through more of our family genealogies and memorabilia.  Thank you Jon for making this effort.  We now have firm contacts with our Oetjen relatives.  Unfortunately Oetjen cousin Jack Riedel and his wife Sandy had a conflict that evening and could not join us.  I will mail him a genealogy package to keep him up to date also on our ancestors and family history.

Below are some photos taken at the reunion.
Cousins' Group Photo
 Group at Botanical Gardens
Cousins' Group Photo.  Back row (L to R) Don , Beth, Vicki, Judy, Margaret, Susan, Jane, and Clyde.
Front row (L to R) Mary M., Helen, Mary C., and Paula.
 Getting organized at the Desert Botanical Gardens.  Left to right: Art, Gary, Judy, Lynn, Helen, Mary M., Neal, Mary C., Paula, Jane, Margaret, and Clyde.

Art, Margaret, and Jane
 Chihuly Glass
 Helen, Don, Neal, and Paula resting
Art, Margaret, and Jane.
 Chihuly Glass and Cacti.  Desert Botanical Gardens.
 Helen, Don, Neal, and Paula resting.  It was hot!



One of the highlights at the reunion was our outing Wednesday evening at the Organ Stop Pizza.  Here we were joined by our Oetjen cousins, Dave Geske and his wife Deb, and Jon Wiedenheft.  We were spread out over several tables so were not able to capture everyone in the photos.  We don't even get to see Deb Geske, although she was sitting directly to my left.  Sorry Deb.
Organ Stop Pizza features one of the largest Wurlitzer pipe organs in the world.  The organist that evening played a great concert - including our request "Hail, Hail, The Gangs All Here." 
Organ Stop Pizza
 Organ Stop Pizza
Left to right: Dave Geske, Jon Wiedenheft, Jane, and Pat.  That's my fist holding on to the pitcher of beer, making sure nobody walks off with it!!
 Left to right: Clyde, Judy, Don, Mary M., Gary, Helen, and Paula standing.


Group sharing Group sharing Jon and Don
Cousins sharing memorabilia.  Helen, Paula, Mary C., Vicki, Margaret, and Susan.  Jane and Pat in background.
 Cousins sharing memorabilia.  Another view.  And having a great time.
 Jon and Don working on family genealogy.
Mary M. and Pat
 Jane, Pat, and "Clyde
 Don J. and Marsh
Mary Mueller and Pat.
 Jane, Clyde, and Pat.
 Don Johnson and Marsh at Judy and Don's home.

Clyde, Lynn, Helen, and Marsh
 Marsh, Gary, Neal, and Pat
 Mary, Pat, Marsh, and Jon
 Neal, Judy, Vicki, Mary
Clyde, Lynn, Helen, and Marsh
 Marsh, Gary, Neal, and Pat
 Mary C., Pat, Marsh, and Jon
 Neal, Judy, Vicki, and Mary
Marsh, Susan, Art, and Margaret Vicki and Beth Susan, Mary, Helen, Don, and Jon
 Don, Judy, Beth, and Gale
Marsh, Susan, Art, and Margaret
 Vicki and Beth
 Susan, Mary M, Helen, Don, and Jon.
 Don, Judy, Beth, and Gale


Judy and Gale Grandy
 Animated Group working at Table
Judy and Gale Grandy.
 Hard at work.  Left to right: Margaret, Beth, Jane, Lynn, Helen, Gary, Mary C., Paula, and Mary M.'s arm.

Friday Morning Group
 Friday Morning Breakfast Table
Friday morning before departure.  Clockwise from left: Vicki, Beth, Lynn, Helen, Gary, Mary, Paula, Mary, and Pat. That's Jane walking in from behind the table.
Friday morning before departure.  Clockwise from left:
 Clyde, Neal, Allen, Vicki, Mary M., Pat.



Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin

2006

The latest reunion of the Berger family was held in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin during June 21-24, 2006.  Twelve cousins attended the reunion: Margaret Hansen, Mary Chatfield, Rod, Clyde, and Dan Berger, Don Hilgendorf, Jane Hilgendorf, Judy Johnson, David Berger, Paula Hoegemeyer, Helen Genter, and Mary Mueller.  Also attending were spouses Art Hansen, Pat Berger, Don Johnson, Judy Berger, Neal Hoegemeyer, Lynn Genter, and Gary Mueller.  Thanks to Clyde for coordinating the reunion and choosing the location.  Our goal was to coordinate our reunion with the larger Berger reunion held every three years, usually at the end of June.  However, organization of the larger Berger reunion was late in happening, so this aspect did not occur.  We had a great time during the four days we gathered.  The Hilgendorf family was late in arriving on the first day, Wednesday, so we missed out on the dinner gathering.  On Thursday most of us went to The House On The Rock near Dodgeville, which is west of Madison.  It was a beautiful drive there through the rolling hills of southern Wisconsin farm country.  We enjoyed the rather eccentric house and the vast display of collectibles, including mechanized bands and orchestras, dolls, doll houses, circuses, automobiles, pipe organs, merry go-rounds, mechanical equipment of all kinds, and other objects too numerous to remember.  That evening we went to the North Shore Inn, a Wisconsin dinner club on Lake Koshkonong just outside of town.  Although the food was good, the restaurant had seen better days, but our waitress Verna (probably about 75 years old) kept us on the straight and narrow in our private dining room.

Friday the group drove to Ashippun, the small town where our great grandparents settled after they immigrated to the United States.  It is here in the church cemetery of Saint John's Lutheran Church that our great grandparents, our grandparents, Uncle Waldemar, and Aunt Gertrude are buried.  Photos of the tombstones can be viewed on the Berger genealogical page.  Also buried there are great grandmother's brother Wilhelm Braatz and several of the Drews family (aunt and uncle and cousins of our Berger parents).  We stopped in Watertown for lunch at Appleby's and then continued to the Bethesda Lutheran Home, where our Oetjen cousin David Geske is CEO.  Unfortunately David was not in.  However, we were given a magnificent tour of the facilities by a gracious PR lady.  Our Uncle Waldemar was a resident at Bethesda for over 40 years of his life, dying there in 1967.  That evening we went out for a fish fry at Italian restaurant of all places - Salamones.  The dinner was excellent.

We all had a great time during this reunion.  Some cousins had not seen each other in over 50 years.  We agreed that we should hold the next cousins' reunion in three years.  E-mail and the chain letter will keep us connected until we meet again.
 
 

Official Berger Cousins' Reunion Photo.  Front row: Judy Johnson, Mary Chatfield, Paula Hoegemeyer, Jane Hilgendorf, Helen Genter, Margaret Hansen, and Mary Mueller.
Back row: Rod Berger, David Berger, Clyde Berger, Don Hilgendorf, and Dan Berger.

 
Reunion Group Photo  
Cousins at The House On The Rock: Left to right are Mary Mueller, Helen Genter, Paula Hoegemeyer, Mary Chatfield, Jane Hilgendorf, and Judy Johnson.
Cousins at the graves of our Grandparents and Uncle Walde and Aunt Gert:  Left to right are Mary Mueller, Don Hilgendorf, Margaret Hansen, Dan Berger, Mary Charfield, Clyde Berger, Rod Berger, Paula Hoegemeyer, Jane Hilgendorf, Judy Johnson, and Helen Genter.  David Berger - where were you?



On the return to Milwaukee some of us cousins stopped off to see Uncle Harvey Birnschein in Elm Grove.  We were happy to find Uncle Harvey doing well and as sharp as ever.  Mark and Gladys Birnschein also joined us during this visit.  Jane, Judy, Don, and I also stopped by Pinelawn Memorial Park to visit the grave of Aunt Clara Birnschein, who passed away November 27, 2005.
 

Reunion Group Photo  
Here Uncle Harvey is explaining to us in detail his fix to the problem of one of his basement walls buckling.  Visible is the jackscrew arrangement he used to push back the buckling wall.  His record keeping of the progress of his effort is impressive.
Outside Harvey's home.  Left to right are Rod Berger, Dan Berger, Gladys Birnschein, Uncle Harvey, Jane Hilgendorf, Mark Birnschein, and Judy and Don Johnson.



Mammoth Lakes, California

1995

A reunion of the Berger family (including Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins) was held at Mammoth Lakes, California at the end of July, 1995.  Eleven family members attended.  Activities included golf, hiking, tennis, touring, and socializing.  A great time was had by all.  Here's a few pictures from that reunion.
 
Reunion Group Photo  
This is a group photo taken at our condo.  Back row (l to r): Don Johnson, Sue Vanderhyde, Jane Hilgendorf, Elmer Hilgendorf, Mary Chatfield, Margaret Hansen, and Dan Berger.  Front row: Bob Berger, Paula Hilgendorf, Judy Johnson, and Don Hilgendorf
Judy, Bob, Don, Dan, Mary, Don (barely seen), Sue, Margaret, and Paula (left to right) enjoying a picnic lunch at Tenaya Lake near Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite.



Paula and Don
Happy Hour
Elmer Working a Crossword Puzzle
Paula and Don Johnson enjoying a
moment on the back deck.
Don, Dan, and Paula enjoying happy hour.
Elmer working on one of his favorite past-times - cross word puzzles.







Dan, Sue, Mary, Judy, and Margaret stopping at Arrowhead Lake on the way to Duck Pass, which we found to be snowed in.
Don Hilgendorf, Don Johnson, Judy Johnson, and Bob Berger
on the first tee at the Snowcreek Golf Course.
Jane, Margaret, Dan, Judy, Don Johnson, Bob, and Paula stopping at
Ellery Lake along the Tioga Highway on the way to Yosemite.





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