Old photos

One of the kids who grew up in the West Denmark community has been scanning and sharing many old photos that his Mom and grandparents had.

This one is particularly fun to see, as my Dad was just a little boy.

Since the message on the back of the photo was written in Danish, we asked Aunt Johanne to help discover who was in the photo.

My uncles on the left in the hats; Halvdan in the back and Christian in the front.

My Aunt Ane Marie on the right, always a tall girl.

My Dad on the ground on the right, and Aunt Johanne on the ground on the left.

The rest of the kids were Henriksen kids, so all these kids were first cousins.

This is what Aunt Johanne had to say: 

"All of us,

Halvdan, Elin, Ane Marie back row 

Chris, Selma, Anna, second row. 

Me on the ground, Kris H. in wagon and Wally on the ground. 

That was the summer after Uncle's (Niels Henrik Henriksen) wife had died and Mother stayed down in the house with alll us kids while Uncle went to Denmark for an extended visit. I think Uncle Henrik Utoft paid for Uncle's trip to try to get over the loss of his wife. I am not sure but I think Dad was working in Minneapolis at that time. I suppose Halvdan, Ane Marie and Elin were old enough to help with us little ones but it sure was a gutsy thing for Mother to do. 

All this is what I have been told. 

I used to have that picture so it must be somewhere."

It must have been quite something for Uncle Niels Henrik to lose his wife so young with such a big family.  It's a real testament to that extended family that these children all grew up to be such kind and caring members of the West Denmark community.

Here is a translation of the Danish provided by a Facebook friend: 

"Greetings from all the children to Holger Koch. 

The little boy in the "wagon" and the three girls is Niels Henriksen's.  

It is Valdemar looking like a colored ( means he is black) and little Johanne from the other side and Christian and Halvdan."

I'm amused to see that the writer described Dad as looking like a colored.  

He always did and still does get a great dark tan.

There are pictures of Glenn as a youngster and he really looks so much like this photo of Dad.

Fun stuff.

Life is Good.