1. For Ruth
100 years

2. It’s good to know where you came from …

3. Quincy “fishing party”: Julius (Bash) Seidel, Louis Seidel, and probably Albert Seidel. Wilbert says the oldest “had to be a minister, and then you had to have a doctor and a dentist.” (In this picture it would be dentist, pastor, and doctor.)

4. Ruth and Hildegarde, Joplin

5. Hildegarde, Wilbert, and Ruth Seidel, Joplin, early spring 1910

6. Pauline
Seidel Family, Joplin (right)
Left to Right: Ruth, Hildegarde, Pauline Hoelter, Louis, and Wilbert. Before the birth of Arnold (and Roland)

7. Family of Julius and Elizabeth Seidel
Top row: Aunt Lil (Elizabeth’s sister), Florence (Bash’s wife), Pauline with Arnold, Aunt Bertha, Elizabeth Herlemann Seidel, Julius Seidel the patriarch, Uncle Al. Second row: Hildegarde, Ruth, Cousin Albert (son of Uncle Al), Wilbert, Cousin Julius (son of Uncle Al).

8. Hildegarde, Ruth, and Wilbert in their Easter togs.
In Grandma’s hand. Ruth has added “Bergeman’s house.”

9. Patriotic children, Ruth, Wilbert, Roland, and Hildegarde

10. Besserts' farm
Grandma's note reads: “When they cleaned out the slough and we took home a load of fish and turtles. My mother sitting next to me.(darker dresses) Hildegarde and Ruth on the tail gate. Wilbert with his hands folded. Wonder why we all had to ride backwards?"

11. Roland, Wilbert, Ruth, and Hildegarde in Freeport

12. Wilbert, Roland, and Ruth Seidel in their playhouse. Freeport.
Wilbert built this for Ruth. Their home is to the right, the school is just to the left. Wilbert built it on a piece of the garden with old doors, etc.

13. Ruth, Wilbert, Hildegarde, and Roland in Freeport

14. Wilbert, Ruth, and Hildegarde

15. Wilbert, Ruth, and Hildegarde at Freeport picnic-parade1-2
Compare with parade1.Seems to be the same year, but Wilbert is in different clothes and parasols have changed.

16. Roland, Wilbert, and Ruth Seidel on swing in Freeport, next to their house.

17. Family at dedication of Navy Pier, Pageant of Progress
In Grandma’s hand. Wilbert, Roland, Ruth, Hildegarde. Wilbert says this was at the dedication of Navy Pier, at the time of the Pageant of Progress, which featured a lot of industrial exhibits—machines that could do everything. The Christopher Columbus was a big cigar boat which could roll safely in the waves of the Great Lakes. A tubular ship, twice as wide as our living room. It left from the Michigan Avenue bridge and took about four hours to travel to Milwaukee, through the river system. You would have one hour to get in a bus and ride around. They probably stayed at Uncle Al’s overnight.

18. Pageant of Progress

19. Hildegarde, Wilbert, Ruth, and Roland in Freeport

20. Wilbert, Hildegarde, Roland, Ruth, and bicycle in Freeport

21. Ruth, Roland, Pauline, Gertrude Schwartzburg(
Ruth, Roland, Pauline, Gertrude Schwartzburg(?), Hildegarde and Wilbert

22. Ruth, Louis, Wilbert, Pauline, Grandma Hoelter, Roland, and Hildegarde

23. Seidel Family, Freeport
Ruth, Mrs. Pauline Hoelter, Roland, Rev. Louis, Wilbert, Hildegarde.
Taken next to their house, just before they left for Chicago.

24. Bagging leaves in Chicago, Roland, Ruth, and Wilbert
Grandma's note says "Getting ready for the Halloween party in our attic, Chicago." Wilbert says they poured leaves all over the attic floor. It was a great fire hazard but a great party.

25. Ted Rupprecht and wife (or to be)
Meta Wolf. In center. See below. Others from left are Hildegarde, Roland, Wilbert, and Ruth at far right. Wilbert says Albert Rupprecht married this woman’s sister.

26. Freeport gathering
Grandma's note reads: "Ruth, Esther Ludwig, Wilbert, Hildegarde, Lydia Bergemann, and Roland the clown."

27. Outing in the car
Wilbert says Oliver Rupprecht is on the left. Then Ruth, Wilbert, Hildegarde, and Roland in the car. Oliver was teaching at the Milwaukee school. Shortly after they moved to Chicago, the family drove part way up and he drove part way down.

28. Home in St. Louis of Julius and Louise Hoelter
First on left. Ruth says their grandparents owned the whole building but lived on the first floor left apartment. Texas Avenue. (Years?) However, this is clearly not the same house that shows the whole family in front. Did they live in two places?

29. Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church
Louis Seidel preached there from (The school was built in 1924)

30. Ruth Seidel's 8th grade graduation
Ruth is upper left. In front of her in white socks is Teacher Bode. Louis Seidel in center. Teacher Koschmann is first row far right.

31. Confirmation class of Ruth Seidel, lower right

32. Ruth Seidel, confirmation pic

33. Ted and Hildegarde’s wedding

34. Ruth Seidel H.S. graduation, 1926, Freeport

35. Rev. Louis Seidel family, Chicago, post 1927

36. Ruth Seidel, possibly her NU graduation picture

37. Ruth Seidel, NU graduation or thereafter
Probably when she was at Bethany in her late 20’s.

39. 25th Wedding anniversary of Carl and Bertha Hoffman
Ruth Seidel (Gienapp) is on left. Note in her hand says “In Minneapolis. I am wearing Aunt Bertha’s wedding dress. I had been their flower girl at their wedding in Quincy.” Bertha (Seidel) was Louis’ sister. (Bertha and Carl were parents of Oswald Hoffmann of Lutheran Hour fame.)

40. Wedding party of Roland Seidel and Natalie Gatzke
Labeled by Wilbert: Rear from L: Cousin of Natalie’s, Sheriff of Des Plaines (locked everyone up once: Natalie was working in City Hall) Friend of Natalie, Hardy Hoelter, Friend of Natalie, Natalie Gatzke Seidel, Roland Seidel, Wilbert Seidel, friend of Natalie, Norman Gienapp, Ruth Seidel (before marriage). Front Row: Delores Gatzke (sister of Natalie) and Carol Lams.

41. Wedding of Ruth Seidel and Norman Gienapp, 1942
Roland and Natalie Gatzke Seidel, Norman Gienapp, Ruth Seidel Gienapp, Pauline Seidel, Wilbert Seidel, Hildegarde Seidel Lams, Theodore Lams. Wilbert invited Winifred Case (soon to be Seidel) to attend the wedding as photographer. Ruth made her own dress and Hildegarde's dress.

44. Natalie
Ruth
Wilbert
Roland

45. Ruth, Norman, and Timothy
ca. 1948

46. Timothy, James, and Rita Gienapp
(right, Champaign 1956, soon after
Rita was adopted)

47. Ruth Seidel Gienapp, perhaps the 1960s

48. An anniversary for Ruth and Norman

49. April, 2003

50. 95th Birthday

51. Memories in Emma
April, 2003

52. March, 2005

53. Ruth and Ozzie