Anna M. (Vorderbruggen) Wegscheid, age 90 of Hutchinson, passed away Wednesday, Nov. 10, 1999, surrounded by family members at Burns Manor Nursing Home.

Anna was born to Christopher and Frances Vorderbruggen Jan. 26, 1909, in Ottertail County, Minn. She was the last survivor of 15 children born to that union.

On April 22, 1929, Anna married Edmund F. Wegscheid at St. Peter's Catholic Church, Delano. They were married more than 67 years, prior to Ed's passing on Nov. 30, 1996.

Ed and Anna started married life on a small farm near Bluffton. They moved to Montrose, Minn. in the 1930s, during the depression and drought years, and then farmed south of Winsted through 1957.

From 1958 to 1964, Anna worked with Ed as the owners and operators of Waseca Recreation in Waseca, Minn.

Anna is survived by the couple's nine children: Cordelia Lewandoski of Winsted; Stan (Patsy) of LaBelle, Fla.; Harlan (Joann) of Lester Prairie; Virgil (Virginia) of Hutchinson; Edmund L. (Betty) of Milan, Ill.; Mark (Ella) of Stockton, Calif.; Sharon Dominik of Lawrence, Kan.; Darril (Mary) of Mendota Heights; and Kaleene (Tom) Willard of Concord, Calif.

In addition, Anna is survived by 27 grandchildren, 44 great-grandchildren, and eight great-great-grandchildren. She is further survived by sisters-in-law, Mae Vorderbruggen of Watertown; Schlostica Weller, Helen Peters, Kay Wegscheid, and Luella Wegscheid and brother-in-law Ambrose Beringer, all of Bluffton, Minn.; brothers/sisters-in-law, Leonard and Lorene Wegscheid of Perham, and Roman and Rose Wegscheid of Kingman, Ariz.; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and countless friends.

Anna was preceded in death by daughter-in-law Rosemary (Otto) Wegscheid and son-in-law, Ernie Lewandoski, both of Winsted; and grandchildren, Linda (Lewandoski) Kritzeck, formerly of Winsted; and David A. Wegscheid of LaBelle, Fla.

A Mass of Christian Burial was Saturday, Nov. 13, 10:30 a.m., at St. Anastasia Catholic Church, Hutchinson.

Visitation was from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 12, at the Dobratz-Hentge Funeral Home, Hutchinson.

Edmund Frank Wegscheid was born August 24, 1904 in Sauk Center, MN the son of Gregory and Susan Hansen Wegscheid. He was one of 14 children born to This union. In early married life and throughout his life , as a young husband and then as a father, during the depression and during better economic times, Ed demonstrated for his children and grandchildren the virtues of hard work honesty, fairness, compassion, and endless faith. Whether it was farming, business ownerships, carpentry, or cabinet making. Ed’s word was his commitment. From 1964 to 1969, Ed partnered in S&W Trailer manufacturing in Hutchinson where he designed and crafted travel trailers, truck campers, and truck bed toppers. During these same years and beyond, Ed assisted many friends, clients, and his parish with remolding, repairs, and hand built wooden cabinets and cases. Ed shared his talents selflessly and enjoyed his friendships immensely.

Having been a member of the Knights of Columbus for more then 74 years, a county extension board director, 4-H leader, church usher, parish volunteer and all-around handyman for the parish and for friends. He worked tirelessly and effectively to leave the situation better than he found it. He loved the outdoors whether fishing, playing
horse shoes, or golfing. When indoors, Ed was a competitive bowler well in his 80s. He always loved playing cards, and for decades he made magic with his woodworking.

Ed died quietly and peacefully November 30, 1 996 at Bums Manor Nursing Home in Hutchinson surrounded by his family. He was buried December 5 in St. Anastasia Cemetery.

Anna Mane Vorderbruggen was born January 26,1909 in Bluffton, MN the eleventh child of Chris and Frances Vorderbruggen. She married Edmund Wegscheid at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Delano, MN April 22, 1929. They were married more than 67 years prior to Ed’s death in 1996. The couple started life on a small farm near Bluffton in 1929. They moved to Montrose in the 30’s during the depression and drought years, then farmed south of Winsted through 1957. Anna helped in the fields, whether it was driving a team of horses or a tractor, in a virtually every framing operation. She milked cows, cared for chickens, the garden, and the yard. She participated in countless friendships, church activities, and community events. From 1958 to 1964 they worked as owners and operators of the Waseca Recreation, a bowling alley. They moved to Hutchinson after selling business and made their final home there.

Anna loved to garden, sew, can, embroider, and crochet for family and friends. She also enjoyed the birds, trees, flowers, and the outdoors, and together with her husband dancing, fishing, and playing cards. Anna had a great sense of humor and loved to play practical jokes. A hard working and tireless friend to many, Anna loved her husband, their children, and their families with great tenderness, thoughtfulness, and a joy of life. Centered in her faith and relying on her determination and focus, Anna worked on problems as challenges, respected work as a joy, and lived her faith devoutly.

Anna died November 10, 1999 at age 90, surrounded by family members at Bums Manor Nursing Home in Hutchinson. She was buried November 13 in St. Anastasia Cemetery

This information was collected from their obituaries by Denise Vorderbruggen and Cordelia Wegscheid Lewandoski.

There are 9 children, 33 grandchildren, 52 great grandchildren, and 8 great great-grandchildren. (as of 2003)

Dad and Mom met at a dance in Bluffton when Ed, along with his brothers were playing the dance music. Dad played the harmonica. Mom lived at Delano, but had been up north helping Aunt Margaret Klinker when she had small twins and babies. I think they dated a little over a year. They were married April 22,1929, in St. Peter’s Church in Delano. Mom’s sister, Clara, married Joe Schumacher, from Delano, in a double ceremony that day. It was 90 degrees outside, and they had to go to the Twin Cities to have their pictures taken. To keep their hair and veils from getting messed up, Clara and Mom (Anna) would not let the men have the windows open on the way. It was a very warm, early spring- the grass was showing green already. Mom and Dad went to Niagara Falls for their honeymoon,.

They lived in the Bluffton area for about a year and a half, then moved near the Waverly-Montrose area. In the fall of 1936, they moved to a farm southeast of Winsted. Around 1950, they moved to a farm along County Road 9 until 1963-1964, when they sold the farm. Before they sold it, they lived on the north end of Hutchinson where Dad built pickup campers. When they sold the farm and the house in Hutchinson, they bought a bowling alley which they ran for several years, had an auction and moved into an apartment for a short time until town houses were built. They lived in a town house until 1996 when Dad’s health failed and Mom couldn’t handle it anymore. Dad went to the nursing home for about 3 months where he died on November 30. 1996. Mom continued to live at the town house until she died on November 10, 1999.

Dad loved woodworking and especially bowling. He had 3 perfect games in his lifetime and lots of games close to that. Mom liked to do oil painting, sew clothes for us as we grew up, crochet, embroider, loved to garden (especially flowers.) and draw pictures of rabbits, horses, cats and birds for us as we grew up.

When I (Cordy) was around 5 years old, I was with Dad in the barn on the farm in the Waverly-Montrose area. Dad was unharnessing the horses, and when he walked behind Buster, the horse kicked Dad in the hip area of his right leg. He leaned on me and held his leg and we walked together to the house - which was a good city block away. Mom milked the cows that night and the next morning. Dad couldn’t stand on the leg, so the neighbors came over and took him to the doctor in Watertown. Dad came home with a cast on his leg all the way to his groin! The upper part of the leg was broken. That whole summer Dad laid in bed and baby-sat us, while Mom did all the farm work - milking cows, cultivating, feeding cattle and chickens, cooking, cleaning, washing, ironing and taking us to Mass on Sundays. Dad kept us happy and content by making paper airplanes from catalogs and throwing them around the room.

Mother and Dad had 9 children (to date all are alive), 27 grandchildren, 44 great grandchildren and 8 great-great-grandchildren at the time of Mom’s death in 1999.

Cordy