Family Pugilists? Honestly?

On page 130 in Horst Hanneken's new book about Buckman (see sidebar to order), there's an account of how the Buckman Athletic Association was formed. Evidently, our great uncles were a big part of it.  Who knew?

Math, Mary and Theo Hesch

 It was 1913, and Math and Theo were 25 and 23.  It was the year after the Titanic sank; the year before their trip to see Europe, as well as the year their nephew Mike was born ☺.  
Math was already writing the Buckman News for papers in Pierz and Little Falls.  I suspect he reported glowingly about winning, huh?  After all, they were strapping farm boys, as were their opponents from nearby towns.  
Horst's account is actually fascinating--I didn't know any of that, did you?

Maybe early 70's

The gent on the left is Theo Hesch, visiting with his sister Theresa (Sr Laura), and my grandmother, Lizzy Hesch (widow of Anton Hesch).
Theo died in 1982, but both Grandma and Sr Laura died in 1972, so this photo was probably taken in 1970 or 71?  I wonder what the occasion was, and where.  Grandma's all dressed up--she's wearing beads--so it was something fancy.  Anybody know?
Ahhh, LARRY figured it out!  Most likely, this was Sr Laura's 90th birthday, in April 1972, 2 months before she died.  He thought the two faces on the far left "look like nuns"...lol and, he found this article from a Miami, Florida newspaper called "The Voice":

More about Sr Laura's funeral, from John Hesch's granddaughter, Julie: 

"My parents went to her funeral and I vividly recall my mother’s accounting of the drumming and chanting. She said it was scary and terribly sad at the same time. She also said that Sr. Laura was wrapped in a hand beaded shawl made by the Indian women. One beaded heart for each person she baptized".

THANK YOU, JULIE!

O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O+O

THANKS once again to Larry!

Theodore Anton Hesch 1888-1982

~26th of May, 1920~

This elegant couple is Theodore Anton Hesch and Rosalia Kunigunda Dehler on their wedding day in May, 1920, in Buckman, Mn. He was 31 and she was 29. Woodrow Wilson was President, The Spanish Flu Epidemic and WWI were over, and the Great Depression was 10 years in the future.

They were raised on adjoining farms in Buckman, so he married "the girl next door"...lol

Both of them in the 1950's.....

(From this photo)....

(Same time frame)........

...and in 1960, at his brother Antons' 50th Wedding Anniversary celebration.

They'd been married for 61 years when Rose died in February of 1981. Ted died a year later, in June of 1982.

(Photo credits: Judy, Irene and SUE!)