by Oran Sorenson
Every two years the descendants of William Rademacher and Christine Kounkel meet for a three-day reunion, usually in Minnesota. At the last cousins meeting two years ago it was said many times that it was time to go back west to where it all began. And so, a vote was taken, a consensus reached and low and behold the Split Rock Park in Garretson is where it will all happen on the weekend of July 19th, 20th, and 21st.
Of course, because the reunion is in our back yard, the local relatives will be relied on heavily to do much of the work. Because of the high turnout, every single camping spot in the park is rented and the benefit to the city is the economic impact of having over one hundred people call our town home for three days.
It all began when William’s father Henry and his mother Elizabeth, both born in Germany, traveled to the USA and were married in Sioux City Iowa. To this union were born nine children. William arrived exactly in the middle as far as ordinal position, on August the 3rd in the year 1873. On October the 13th in the year 1896 he betrothed Christine Kounkel and made their first home near LeMars Iowa. In 1901 this family moved to a farm southeast of Garretson in Rock County of Minnesota, where five of their eight children were born. After being forced to retire from farming, William and Christine bought a home on South Long Lake near Brainerd Minnesota, but usually spent their winters back near Garretson in the homes of their children. Christine died in 1944 of a heart attack at the home of their son William (Bill). William Sr. would die two years later at the home of their daughter Viola Anderson, unable to recover from a stroke.
The Rademacher home in Rock County is currently where Doug and Diane Grimsrud live on Highway 23. Palisade Lutheran Church was where the family would attend regular services, baptisms, confirmations, weddings, and of course funerals. The Grimsrud’s have graciously invited a tour bus of relatives to stop and see the old homestead. Also, Pastor Laura Phelps will lead a Saturday service at Palisade Lutheran for the family. A special message will be offered by Jake Julson, son of Gerald and Sharla Julson, who has answered the call to ministry. Other activities will include a fishing derby, golf drive across the Split Rock, pontoon rides, movies and popcorn, kayaking, a fun auction in which we raise money for the next reunion, and of course those awesome meals catered by Ron Luke.
Those in attendance will be the grandchildren and great grand children of Viola Julson Anderson, Earl and Ralph Rademacher, Mabel Lee, Florence Nelson, William Jr. and Fred Rademacher, and the youngest, Fern Davis. While many of the children stayed within a relatively close proximity to Garretson, Earl and Ralph would move back close to Brainerd and many others would live at least for a while in that area.
If you happen to be a good friend or want to renew an old friendship from long ago, stop by Split Rock Park Friday evening or Saturday later afternoon to say hello. Most will be on a tour Saturday morning and will not arrive back in the park till after 2:00.
Editor’s note: The Gazette has been informed that the entire campground of Split Rock Park has been booked for these events, however the Friday might movie in the park (see page 12) is open to all!
