June 1 - June 14, 2004

Biographies of Tour Group Members

* Identifies Deceased

Journey to the Homeland Tour Group Odessa, Ukraine, June 9, 2004 (left to right): Elvira Zakharova, Eva Schatz Hueser, Joleen Zeller, Marguerite Bullinger Lien, Florence Schatz Barrows, Cy Rief, Mary Ann Hueser, Rosemary Menzia Rief, Carol Zeller, George Reinschmidt, Linda Wohl Brunner, and Benjamin Brunner.	Seltz, Alsace, France June 11, 2004

Florence (Schatz) Barrow, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada

Ancestral Villages: Baden, Elass, Kandel, Mannheim and Selz, Kutschurgan District, Home of my grandparents.

I was born in Vibank, Saskatchewan in 1933. After college I began researching our names...through letters and telephone conversations. Then I discovered the computer and the Internet. From there I was directed to the Kutschurgan ListServe. With the help of all those wonderful and kind people, I was able to go back as far as 1705.

I require documentation on my ancestors, as much as is possible to locate, as I have not been given permission to use information given to me, information I have not obtained myself.

I am currently working on my paternal ancestors. Both my parents were born in Saskatchewan, Canada. However, their parents (my grandparents) were born in the Kutschurgan area of South Russia. The Kutschurgan villages I am interested in are Mannheim, Baden, Kandel, Selz, and Elsass. Prior to emigrating to Russia, they all came from Weissenburg, Alsace, Germany/France.

Researching surnames: *Schatz, *Walijor, *Lacher, Sahli, Sali, Biegler, Wingerter, Dexheimer, Hoffart, Zahn, Laturnus. *Most important names being researched.

The purpose of the trip to the "Homeland" is to be able to obtain documentation from the Odessa Archives, and hopefully meet relatives that may still be living in the villages.

Benjamin Neil Brunner, Yakima, Washington

Ancestral Village: Landau and Speyer, Beresan District

I was born July 5, 1937 at Newton, Harvey County, Kansas; the oldest child of Floyd C. Brunner and Hattie Elizabeth (Benjamin) Brunner. In 1943 the family consisting of a second son, Allen, and a daughter, Nancy Jo, moved from Harvey County to Yakima, Washington where I was raised.

While a student at Gonzaga University Law School I met, courted, and married in 1960 Linda Ann Wohl from Helena, Montana.

After seven years as a Spokane County Deputy Prosecutor, we moved to Yakima County, Washington, where I was employed as Yakima County Deputy Prosecutor and thereafter as Assistant Yakima City Attorney; thereafter entering into a private law practice for five years.
I left private law practice going to work as a Right of Way Agent for Washington State Department of Transportation and later as a Legal Assistant for the State Attorney General. From 1998 I worked as a free-lance Legal Assistant in the Olympia-Tacoma, Washington areas until my wife's retirement in 2003. Thereafter we returned to our family home in Yakima, Washington.

I am finding many opportunities in my photography, wood working, and big game hunting and fishing avocation here in Washington.

Linda A. Brunner, Yakima, Washington

Ancestral Villages: Landau and Speyer, Beresan District

I was born in Butte, Montana in 1938. My family moved to Helena, Montana when I was four years old. I was an only child and am told that I was a "terror on wheels." I never hesitated to crawl out my bedroom window during naptime and go exploring. My mother had her hands full just keeping me corralled. She must have done a pretty good job because I settled into a pretty normal girl once I started school.

Following high school I attended Gonzaga University, graduating in 1960 with a major in Psychology and a minor in Philosophy. I met my husband, Ben, at Gonzaga and we were married shortly after my graduation. We lived in Spokane for several years and then moved to Yakima, Washington where we raised our five children. As I was approaching 50 years, I went back to school and earned a M.ED. in Counseling and Guidance. I had been working in the public schools, but didn't have the credentials that would allow me to be a certified school counselor.

As our youngest daughter graduated from high school, Ben and I moved to Olympia, Washington where I was offered a job as a social worker in a group home for emotionally disturbed adolescent girls. Eventually I was able to fulfill my dream of becoming a school counselor in an elementary school.

For the next fourteen years I worked in a wonderful school that had an enrollment of approximately 600 students, kindergarten through 6th grade. I made some wonderful friends on the staff and was very happy with where I had been planted. But last year I reached that magical age where it was time for me to hang up my shingle and become a woman of leisure. We had kept our home in Yakima, so after I retired we moved back to Yakima, Washington.

Less than 48 hours after we moved back, we received a call that no parent ever wants to get. Our son, Eric, had died following a seizure. So now we tell people we have four children living in the state of Washington and one living in heaven. We also have eight grandchildren, seven boys and one girl.

We are very excited about the trip to Germany and the Ukraine, and we are counting the weeks.

Biographical information regarding my paternal grandfather, Mathias Zent:

Matt Zent was born in 1875 in Speyer, Russia. He was born to parents who were part of a large group of German people who had moved to Russia to farm. Russia had vast areas of unused land, so Catherine the Great invited the experienced German farmers to come to Russia to farm the land and teach the German methods. In exchange, the Germans were promised that the land they farmed would be given them. When the Russians saw how successful the German farmers were, they took the land away from the Germans, resulting in many unhappy and distressed farmers.

Matt grew up as a farm boy in Russia. He was the youngest child of a large family. His father died when he was around six years old.

When Matt was 18 years old, he learned he would be required to join the Russian army. At that point, he decided to come to America. In later years, he spoke of his departure from Russia when he had to march past his mother as she stood by for a last glimpse of her youngest child. He recalled that she pulled her apron over her face to hide her tears and sorrow. He never saw his mother again.

Somehow Matt made it to a port where he managed to get on a ship headed for America. He traveled as a stow away in the belly of the ship, which proved to be a most harrowing experience. Later he told of the hardship that he and his very poor traveling companions had to endure. He related to his family how the flu broke out in the lower area of the ship and of the terribly unsanitary conditions that existed. Yet at all times Matt, as a stow away, had to keep hidden from any of the ship's crew.

When he arrived in the United States, Matt had no education and could not speak English. But he had a "knack" for making friends and as he worked his way across the United States, there were a number of people who befriended him and were instrumental in directing him to North Dakota.

Eventually he, his wife, Mary, and his seven children moved to Hysham, Montana where he owned and operated a hardware store and implement dealership. He was very successful in all that he did. He was well-liked, respected, outgoing and a wonderful father and grandfather. He died at age 78. His story has been inspirational to all that knew him. He was a wonderful grandfather! I still remember that he would buy me a marshmallow cream sundae everytime he came to visit.

Eva (Schatz) Hueser, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada

Ancestral Villages: Baden and Mannheim, Kutschurgan District

I was born on a farm near Odessa, Saskatchewan. Most of the farmers in the area were descendants of people who had come from the South Russia and Odessa areas.

At home we only spoke German until we started school, and spoke English as we grew older.

I moved to Regina in 1952, and married Henry Hueser in 1957. We had three children, and I am pleased to see the interest my daughter, Mary Ann, has in her ancestors.

My grandparents, Johannes and Marcelena Schatz came to Canada in 1901 with three children. My dad, Anthony, was three years old at that time.

I remember my grandfather, Johannes, worrying about relatives that were sent to Siberia. But I was never interested in his ancestors until I began Family Research in the 1970's.

As Johannes was an only child, and his father died when he was two years old, we had little information about his relatives.

I am looking forward to this trip, and to be able to see the area that our early settlers came from, as well as meeting people with similar interests.

Mary Ann Hueser, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada

Ancestral Villages: Baden and Mannheim, Kutschurgan District

I was born in 1959 in Regina Saskatchewan. My careers in Animal Health Technology and presently Medical Radiologic Technology (x-ray) have led me to live in a number of places in Western Canada. In 1999, I settled back in Regina.

I became interested in family history when my mother started researching in the 70's.

My father's ancestors had come to North America directly from Germany, while my mother's ancestors were Banat Germans and Germans from Russia. They all came to Canada in the early 1900's and, unfortunately, all my great-grandparents were no longer alive when my mother started her research. Therefore, very little was discovered about our ancestors before 1900.

A couple of years ago, my mother's cousin began to research, and with modern technology (computers), she was able to trace the Schatz history into the 1700's.

This information renewed my interest. And I also started doing some research and collecting information.

It has always been a dream of mine to go back to Europe and Russia to see the homelands of my ancestors. When I was informed about Michael Miller's tour, I discovered that it was exactly what I was looking for.

My mother and I will be joining the 2004 tour for what promises to be a memorable time.

Marguerite Bullinger Gustin Lien, Marysville, Washington

Ancestral Villages: Halbstadt, Karlsruhe, Katherinental, Landau, Rastatt, and Speyer, Beresan District; Herxheim, [Landau district, Baden, Germany]; Wanzenau, Alsace, and Klingenmonster, Baden; Offenbach, Palatinate [Rhein-Pfalz].

I was the youngest of Julius Bullinger and Clementine Gustins' children.

My father was born in Katherinental, Russia. His great-grandfather came to South Russia from Herxheim, [Baden] and settled in Katherinental [Beresan/Cherson] in about 1818.

In 1893 at age eleven, my dad came with his family to America on the ship S.S. Lahn and settled in South Dakota, and later to St. Anthony, North Dakota shortly after. He married my mother, Clementine Gustin, in 1905.

My mother was the daughter of Lorenz Gustin. She was born in 1887 in Halbstadt, Russia. She came to America in 1901. They left Halbstadt and traveled to Breman, Germany where they boarded the ship Kron Prinz Wilhelm and arrived in New York late in November and early December in Fallon, North Dakota.

After the winter, Lorenz Gustin filed for a homestead west of Fallon--Flasher wasn't there yet. The homestead was about four miles northeast of where Flasher would be started the following year.

The Catholic church is named St. Lawrence (Lorenz) Church after him for some reason unknown to me. It had something to do with money.

Somewhere the Gustins can be traced back to Wanzenau, Alsace, and Klingenmonster, Baden, and Offenbach, Palatinate. I do not know the connections.

I vaguely recall overhearing conversations with relatives when Speier, Sulz, Odessa were mentioned, as well as the Black Sea. I was too young to understand what it was all about.

George H. Reinschmidt, Munnings Place, Plano, Texas

Ancestral Villages: Beresina, Lichtental, Bessarabia; Spöck, (Baden); Kirchberg, (Württemberg); "Reich" equals Stettin, (Mecklenburg) and Island of Rügen, (Mecklenburg).

I was born and raised on a stock farm near the village of Yale, (Beadle County), South Dakota. My father's people came to Dakota Territory in 1885 from Bessarabia, (today Ukraine), village of Beresina, (grandfather and uncle), and Lichtental (grandmother and her parents). Both families spoke Schwabian and were from the Spöck, Baden and Kirchberg and der Murr, Württemberg, respectively. My mother's people came from the Reich (near Stettin and the Island of Rügen), and could not communicate in German with my father's people in the early days as their dialects were so different, but rather spoke to each other in formal "Katshub" (Kaschürbisch Plattdeutsch) or high German.

I was educated in a one-room school. Yale High School and my degree was earned from the University of South Dakota at Vermillion. After serving in the U.S. Army, I began my professional career in Des Moines, Iowa with one of the big eight international accounting firms, Ernst & Ernst. I received my C.P.A. from the State of Iowa. After six years I accepted the position of CFO with one of my clients in Dallas, Texas, the Freeman Companies, a full-service trade show and convention contractor. I remained with Freeman for the rest of my career. The company enjoyed rapid growth and is now the largest of its kind in North America. I retired in 1999 and continue to live in Texas.

I have always enjoyed travelling, but beginning with my retirement I have been to all the continents (including Antarctica), all 50 states and visited each of the state capitals.

I enjoy spectator sports (especially the Dallas Cowboys), theater, classical music, musicals, reading non-fiction, my church, and still sit on The Board of Directors of my former company.

I am presently not married, and I have only recently begun to look at my family history.

CY (S.F.) Rief, Yakima, Washington

Ancestral Villages: Landau and Speyer, Beresan District; Mannheim, Kutschurgan District

I was born on October 25, 1934, in Aurora, Indiana. My father (Joseph Rief) was of German descent; my mother (Lucille Barker) was English. My father was a cabinet maker by trade and supported the family as a construction worker. He was a migrant worker, following the work during WWII - to Charleston, Indiana; Venita, Oklahoma; and Hanford, Washington. After the war, my family settled in Spokane, Washington where I was raised. I graduated from Gonzaga High School in Spokane in 1952. I earned a BA in Philosophy and an MA in English Literature from Gonzaga University. Then taught school in Spokane, Idaho, Okinawa, and Yakima, Washington - retiring in 2001 after 40 years in the classroom.

I married Rosemary Menzia in 1967 and we have four grown children and four grandchildren. My wife's parents were Germans born in South Russia. Retirement leaves me with more time to travel with Rosemary. Since she recently visited the origins of my family in Indiana, its only fair that I experience the villages of her ancestors in the Ukraine.

Rosemary (Menzia) Rief, Yakima, Washington

Ancestral Villages: Landau and Speyer, Beresan District; Mannheim, Kutschurgan District

I was born on January 11, 1940, in Prosser, Washington to Conrad Menzia (born 1892 in Mannheim, South Russia) and Frances (Zent) Menzia (born 1900 in Speier, South Russia). I was child #15 of 17 children in the family. I was raised in the small town of Prosser (population 3,000). After high school, I stayed home and worked until I was age 2l and contributed my pay check to the family. At age 21, I started college at Gonzaga University and graduated in 1964 with a BA in English Literature. Taught for 2 years at Encina High School in Sacramento, California, and returned to Gonzaga University for an MA in Counseling in 1967.

Married Cy Rief in 1967 and we settled in Yakima, Washington with teaching and counseling positions at Davis High School. We raised four children: Jenifer, Joe, Anna, and Rachel. During the parenting years, I worked part-time: teaching at local community college, counseling, consulting, etc. Now, coasting into retirement years with some teaching and doing public relations for a food bank agency.

Additional tour members will be in Stuttgart, Germany for 10-13 June 2004:

Marge L. Benson, Sacramento, California

Ancestral Villages: Grimm, Huck, and Norka, Volga Region. Leonhardt, and Shaefer from the villages of Grimm and Norka; Bohl/Pohl from the village of Huck, Volga Region

Personal: Married 43+ years to Robert M, three children, Robert Maynard, Marta, and Richard and four grandchildren, Robert Matthew, Sierra, Kevin Richard, and Calla.
Address: 624 Shangri La, Sacramento, CA 95825-5505, (916) 925-5054 rmbmlb@comcast.net

Education: Sacramento City College, Major: Pre-pharmacology

Employment: Retired, University of California, Davis, School of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, Manager

Avocation: American Historical Society of Germans from Russia, International Save Our Ancestral Records-SOAR-Project Coordinator, Sacramento Valley Chapter, AHSGR Secretary, Past Membership Chair [two years], California District Council AHSGR, SOAR - Membership Committee, Convention Planning Committee, Registration Coordinator

Other Interests:
Hand Bell Choir - Greenhaven Lutheran Church
Adult Choir Member - Greenhaven Lutheran Church
Enjoy classical music
Gardening: Bearded Irises, Day lilies, Daffodils, California Golden Poppies, and Sierra Wildflowers
Interested in learning more about the cultural and musical practices of the Germans from Russia people

Robert M. Benson, Sacramento, California

Ancestral Villages: Degendorf, Germany and Butou, Pomerania

Personal: Married 43+ years to the lovely Marge, three children, Robert, Marta, and Richard and four grandchildren, Robert, Sierra, Kevin, and Calla. Address: 624 Shangri La, Sacramento, CA 95825-5505, (916) 925-5054 rmbmlb@comcast.net

Education: California State University, Sacramento, Major: Medieval and European History

Employment: Retired, State of California, Department of Motor Vehicles, Management

Avocation: American Historical Society of Germans from Russia Past Vice President, Member of the Board of Directors Committee Assignments: Historical Research Committee Membership: Committee Chair, President, California District Council AHSGR, Sacramento Valley Chapter Past President, Save Our Ancestral Records-SOAR Project Coordinator, Village Coordinator for Norka Kolonie Genealogy: Researching GR Family Surnames: Kleer, Knippel, Nagel, and Staerkel/Starkel/Sterkel from the village of Norka; Leonhardt and Shaefer from the village of Grimm; and Bohl/Pohl from the village of Huck.

Guest presenter at various AHSGR Chapters and Heritage Fests and various genealogical societies

Other Interests:
Computer, including digital photo capture and restoration
Carpentry, Cabinetry, and Furniture Making
Composition and Writing
Reading
Grape cultivation and viticulture
General agricultural pursuits

Alton Henry Sissell, Orangevale, California

Ancestral Villages: Kaldenkirgen, Rheinland, Pfalz Germany; Marne, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany; Preußen

Personal: Married: 42 years to: Eleanor Lucille Sissell, Children: Elizabeth, John, Joseph (Andy), and Kathryn and 10 grandchildren Address: 9491 Lake Natoma Drive, Orangevale, CA 95662 916 988-1125 E-Mail:asissell@pacbell.net

Address: 9491 Lake Drive, Orangevale, CA 95662

Education: College: 4 years, Major: Computer Science, AA from Merced College, Merced, California

Employment: Retired, 30 years with the state of California, Teale Data Center United States Air Force, Captain, 7+ years, Pilot and Navigator

Special Interests:
Genealogy: American Historical Society of Germans from Russia
Member since 1977; Life Member, Genealogy Committee, Technology Committee, Member of Board of Directors 8 years, Member of Foundation 3 years, past chairman, California Coordinating Council AHSGR, chapter president, Sacramento

Computer Rooter, a computer/genealogy special interest group, president 8 years.

Items of Interest:
Researching: Sissell, Waits (Weetz), Wulf, Trumm, Kuster
Grandfather Weetz, (father's side), came from Marne, Germany in 1891
10th greatgrandfather Kuster, (mother's side), came from Germany in 1683, establishing Germantown, Pennsylvania (1st German Colony in America)

Researching/Writing Family History

Goal: This research trip, to travel/research in Marne, Schleswig-Holstein; Kaldenkirchen and Krefeld, Rheinland-Pfalz (Palatinate); and Preussen

Eleanor Lucille Sissell, Orangevale, California

Ancestral Villages: Kukkus, Lauwe, Schilling, Volga Region

Married: 42 years to Alton Henry Sissell, children: Elizabeth, John, Joseph (Andy) and Kathryn, 10 grandchildren

Address: 9491 Lake Natoma Drive, Orangevale, CA 95662, Phone 916 988-1125
E-Mail: asissell

Education:
College: 3 years, Major: Early Childhood Education, AA from American River College, Carmichael, California

Employment: Retired, 22 years with the San Juan United School District as a California Permit Preschool Teacher at Marvin Marshall Children's Center in Carmichael, California

Special Interests:
Genealogy: American Historical Society of Germans from Russia, Member since 1977, Life Member, AHSGR Chapter President, Sacramento

Homemaking: Sewing, crocheting, embroidering, and cooking

Items of Interest: Researching: Krumm, Maser, Schlieper

Ancestor Sebastian Krumm originated in Wenings, Hesse, Preussen.
In 1766, he left to live in the village of Kukkus, on the Volga in Russia.
From there, my Grandfather immigrated in 1904 to United States.

Ancestor Gottfried Maser originated in Lengfeld,?Hesse?, Preussen.
In 1766, he left to live in the village of Kukkus, on the Volga in Russia

Ancestor Charles Schlieper, (mother's side), was last known to haul
salt in a wagon from Hannover to Hamburg, immigrated 1852 to United States.

Researching/Writing Family History

Goal: This research trip, to travel/research in the Hesse/Darmstadt area of eastern Germany.

Carol Zeller, Bismarck, North Dakota
Ancestral Villages: Kloestitz and Tarutino, Bessarabia

I grew up in North Dakota. I was not interested in family history at first, but my mother did some research and compiled a family history. I gradually became more knowledgeable about the family.

I worked in California as a nurse and teacher, and graduated from San Francisco State University. I then returned to North Dakota in 1980.

I am now retired and would like to spend more time on family research. The villages I am interested in are Kloestitz and Tarutino. Family names are: Zeller, Uttke, Heier, Dieterle and Krause.

* Joleen Zeller, Golden Valley, Minnesota

Ancestral Villages: Kloestitz and Tarutino, Bessarabia

I was born in Grant County, North Dakota to children of Germans from Russia. The family names are: Zeller, Heier, Uttke, Krause.

My mother was always very intested in our family tree; so this trip is a continuation of her studies. I have always wanted to see Odessa and the Black Sea.