MOM’S MEMOIRS – IRENE LOUISE (NEE KUCKKAN) MUELLER
(Continued)

Mom’s Autobiography – Chapter 36 – In Book, Page 86

Installation of David Wilson, Our Grandson, At Lord And Savior, Crystal Lake, Illinois, August 11, 1996. Living at Pioneer Park, Trip to Calgary, Canada, Dick’s 67th Birthday, Back to Wisconsin and Pioneer Park on September 23, 1996, Back to Seven Oaks in Mission, Texas, Parade, Steve at The Monitor, Fellowship at Abiding Savior

INSTALLATION OF DAVID WILSON, OUR GRANDSON – AUGUST 11, 1996

After the great visit with the Weilands, we went to Crystal Lake, Illinois, where Dick had been Pastor of Lord And Savior Evangelical Lutheran Church for over eleven years. Pastor David Carlovsky, his wife, Deborah, and family served the congregation at this time. What a blessing it was to see them and all the beloved members of the congregation again. And what a joy it was for us to be at the Installation Service of our grandson, David Wilson, as teacher and principal of the very same congregation for whom his grandfather, Pastor Richard Mueller, had served for eleven years. It had started from a little mission seed in 1975 and grown into a sturdy tree.

David himself was one of the very first students who attended Lord And Savior Evangelical Lutheran School, starting in second grade, when it opened in 1980, until the middle of eighth grade. He had moved from California with his mother, father, sister, and little brother and finished up his Christian day school education at St. John’s, Lannon, Wisconsin, in 1988, when his parents, Debbie (our daughter), Glen (her husband), Nicole, he, and Mark moved to Colgate, Wisconsin.

Of course, our daughter, Debbie, and her husband, Glen (David’s parents), were also there. Dick was asked to preach for the Installation Service. What an honor it was, and it brought tears to all our eyes to hear such an inspiring sermon at Lord And Savior for our grandson, David’s, Installation! How richly our loving God blesses us!

We went back to our trailer home at Pioneer Park in Lake Delton, and our families living in Wisconsin came to visit us. What happy times we had swimming with them in the beautiful swimming pool just down the hill from our trailer! Also, many went fishing at Dutch Hollow Lake, or went into Wisconsin Dells to the water parks, walked with the tourists up and down Main Street, etc. But, best of all, we loved being together. We also went to their homes to visit, and heard inspiring sermons given by our son, Tim, pastor of Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church in Waupun, Wisconsin, and Jim (Weiland), pastor of Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church in Merrill, Wisconsin. Blessings!!!!

CALGARY, CANADA

Now Dick and I felt the need to go to visit our daughter, Steph, Jeff, her husband, Trav, Mitch, and Sammy. We traveled along one of the northern routes across the United States. There was much open land, wheat fields, and grain elevators ( Bruce Selyem, a photographer, calls them “Prairie Cathedrals” in an article he wrote. Many of them are now deserted, so Mr. Selyem founded The Country Grain Elevator Historical Society in 1995 so members could exchange information about the aging elevators and document their history). They reminded us of when we first went to Lusaka, Northern Rhodesia, Africa (Zambia since Independence in 1964) and saw what we thought was a cathedral. It turned out to be a grain elevator. A beautiful cathedral was later built in Lusaka. The Queen Mother came from England and dedicated it when the cornerstone was laid. We arrived in Calgary (The Stampede City), Alberta, Canada, on August 21, 1996. It is a beautiful modern city. But, best of all, we were again with our beautiful children. I’ll never forget when we drove up to the parsonage door, and little Mitch came running out of the door to our car and handed me a beautiful blue stone. What a welcome! I still have that stone.

Jeff, the much dedicated pastor, preached wonderful, inspiring, sermons from the pulpit of Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church. Steph gave people haircuts in the “hairdressing salon” which she and Jeff had built in the parsonage basement. Trav, Mitch, and Sammy were their own sweet selves, and we had a wonderful time with all of them. We were indoctrinated into what having Juvenile Diabetes means when we saw Sammy being given her insulin shots every day. Steph, Jeff, and the children took us swimming, which has always been our family “thing”. (“Sami Jo”, as she prefers to be called now that she is 16 years old as of May 22, 2008, is a strong swimmer and has won many Wyoming – where they live now – state championship awards).

We went to visit Mountain View Evangelical Lutheran Church, Calgary, Canada, where Pastor Jonathan E. Schultz was Pastor at that time (he is now Pastor of St. Matthew’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin). We also visited Morning Star Evangelical Lutheran Church, Carstairs, Canada. Services at that time were held at the Community Hall because it was still a small congregation. They were served by our son-in-law, Jeff. (Dick later on got the divine Call to serve Morning Star, but he had retired and so did not accept it).

DICK’S 67TH BIRTHDAY

Oh, look at that beautiful, delicious, birthday cake (the picture of it is in Album Number 49) Steph made for her Daddy! And look at Travis with the BIG knife cutting it up (another picture)! Don’t pictures say a thousand words? – as they say. And look at little Sammy with the huge pads on her knees and legs (another picture) when she was “goalie” for her brothers when they played hockey in the parking area in the front yard, even in summer.

Steph and Jeff took us to see some of the great sights of Calgary – McDonalds (yes, there’s one there, and the food tastes the same), Fort Calgary Historic Park, and “Sesame Street”, live on stage at the Calgary Stampede and Exhibition building. We were not there at the right time to see “THE STAMPEDE, A Romping Rangeland Rumpus”, but we have a picture of the beautiful mural depicting the Stampede and saying those words by Guy Weadick. One day Dick and I took the children to Chuck E. Cheese, our first time at one of them. It was fun! We enjoyed our time with our loved ones in Canada so much and were sad to leave.

BACK TO WISCONSIN ON SEPTEMBER 23, 1996

Away we went again back on the northern route of the United States to Wisconsin, which was taking us back to our loved ones there. Ah, here’s a picture of Susie holding a tray of scrumptious cupcakes, and here’s one of Becky playing with her little baby sister, Laura. And here’s one of the whole family with their happy smiling faces in their home in Merrill, Wisconsin! Welcome back, Dad and Mom! We celebrated Jim, our son-in-law’s 37th birthday, and there he is in a picture holding up a Mexican shirt from us! Cute!

On October 15th we are back in Pioneer Park and doing all the things which we need to do to close up our trailer for the winter. Dick puts antifreeze into the water system, I defrost and clean the refrigerator, we put Bounce sheets in the drawers, the bedding, cupboards, etc. to keep out moths and any varmints which might come into the trailer during the winter. The Pioneer Pathways says we can park our boats on our lots for the winter, so that is what we did.

BACK TO WESLACO, TEXAS

We got our possessions out of storage and moved into our condo on Lake View Drive at Seven Oaks Resort and Country Club in Mission, Texas. Rebecca and Steve had found a house in McAllen, Texas, into which they had moved and were renting.. We were so happy to see one another; also the people of Abiding Savior; and also our Siamese cat, Toi. Again, we had a blessed and joyful Christmas with all!

On February 8, 1996, there was a great parade in Mission, Texas. On one of the pictures of one of the floats, it says, “DIAMONDS AREN’T FOREVER – JESUS IS!” There were many other beautiful floats adorned with flowers. On one float were the words, “Rio Grande Livestock Show”. A beautiful lady sat on one end and livestock (pigs, chickens, sheep) on the other end. There were also Mariachi bands, Pom-Pom girls, and a float with the words, “OUR CHRISTIAN HERITAGE” adorned with a cross, Bible, and a singer with a guitar. There were decorated old cars, and of course, horses – lots of them!

Our son, Steve, Systems Manager for the Monitor newspaper in McAllen, Texas, was on the 1997 Committee which planned for the 2nd Annual Arthritis Foundation Mini Grand Prix race on February 23rd. There is a nice picture of the committee in Album Number 50, 1996-1997, and also other pictures and info about the race itself. Again Steve drove Number 9, a white mini car, along the streets of McAllen, Texas, for the Monitor. Bales of hay were stacked around the corners to protect the drivers. It re-minded us of his go-cart which he drove when he was a child around and around the playground at Coventry School in Crystal Lake, Illinois. But, of course, there weren’t any bales of hay to protect him.

Abiding Savior Evangelical Lutheran Congregation was just as lively as always. On February 14, 1997, Mr.Bob and Mrs. Arline Ballering had a wonderful 50th anniversary service and fellowship in the church, complete with cake, other delicious food, and music. There was also a birthday party for Mr. Keith Becker in the church fellowship hall. Again, there was a delicious cake and other food.