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- By R. Paige Kettner For the Times-Villager "Sisters, sisters; there were never such devoted sisters. …" Irving Berlin's song lyrics could have been written for the Bongers family of Little Chute. Three of the sisters Marie, 97, Catherine, 95, and Rosella, 92 have remained close, caring for and watching out for one another for almost 100 years. Now that their husbands are gone and their children grown, they are sharing their twilight years, childhood memories and a game or two of cards with one another at St. Paul Manor in Kaukauna. The story of their devotion and strong, loving bonds is not only an inspiration but also a tribute to their parent's legacy. Nellie and Henry Bongers had eight children, four girls and four boys. They raised their close-knit family on Vanden Broek Street in Little Chute. The children attended St. John Catholic School, where they completed their eighth-grade educations. Born first, Marie (1908), Catherine (1910), Lucina (deceased in 2000), and Rosella (1913) learned early the importance of responsibility and dependability. They all had household jobs to do, like scrubbing floors, washing dishes, ironing and taking care of their baby brothers. Contributing to the well-being of the family was second nature to them. "We worked really hard but after chores, I took my brother, 'Beany' for a ride in the buggy and we'd go down by the train depot and wave to the engineers. We'd have to come home when we heard Dad whistle, though," Rosella recalled. Marie remembered spending playtime across the street at the blacksmith shop watching horses being shoed, while Catherine reminisced about gathering up wood shavings at the carpenter's workshop, putting the ringlets around their ears and pretending they had bouncing curls. "We were always doing something fun and silly together," said Catherine. "I was usually the instigator." Once the girls completed their schooling and prior to their marrying, each held jobs to earn money to help the family and to save a bit for their futures. Marie was a nurse-girl who took care of Leslie Sensenbrenner's two children for three years. Afterwards, she went to work at the Kimberly-Clark mill in Kimberly, where she became a paper cutter. "I progressed to paper counter and sorter after a short while," said Marie. "I had to look for wrinkles and flaws in the paper. I worked at that position until I married in 1932." Catherine and Rosella worked as clerks at Hanegraaf's Grocery Store until they married. "Then we had to quit. That was the way things were then," said Rosella. "Wives took care of the house and their families during those days." The years between eighth grade and marriage were formative ones for the Bongers sisters as they ventured out into the work place, continued to assist the family household and found their own sense of style and grace at neighborhood social clubs. Among their favorite spots was a tavern called Little Chicago, south of Kaukauna, where they learned to dance the two-step, but they all agreed that square dancing to a sole accordion player at the Nightingale was great fun, too. Rosella remembered that when their dates brought them home, "Ma would be waiting and she'd say, 'Don't lock the door yet, Marie's not home.' Or, 'you can lock the door now, you're the last one!' She always waited up for us and taught us to look out for one another too." They took these conscientious lessons with them and applied for a lifetime. In the early '30-s the Bongers sisters broadened their horizons further. Each having selected the "perfect mate" and began the business of raising her children. Marie married Joe Huiting (originally from North Dakota) in 1932. Their children, Robert of Green Bay, Elaine Linsmeier, who passed away in 2001, and Mary Gauthier of Oshkosh, admired their mother's tenacity and her positive outlook on life. Her easy-going manner made their home life in Little Chute full of joyful memories. During those early years, Joe worked for Kimberly-Clark as an electrician and mechanic. After a time though, the Huitings moved to Reedsville, where Joe set up an electrical repair and sale shop. While Joe was out on calls, Marie managed the shop business and helped customers in addition to maintaining her household chores and watching the children. "No easy feat, even in by-gone days," she said. The Bongers accepted challenges as part of life and subscribed to the philosophy that you do what you have to do and come out whole, as Catherine can confirm. She married Martin Schumacher in 1933. Martin also worked for Kimberly-Clark in the wood mill. The Schumachers had four children: Eleanor De Koch and Gerald, both of Kimberly Kenneth of Onalaska, and Dennis of Wrightstown. From their mother the Schumacher children learned strength of mind and true grit for on Marie and Martin's 14th wedding anniversary, June 27, 1947, the family buried their dear husband and father. With four little ones to rear, ages 2 to 12, Catherine's parental role exploded to include that of breadwinner and head of the household. The sisters, ever-ready, along with other family members, helped with household chores and cared for the young family. Catherine at age 37 returned to work as a clerk at Geenen's Dry Goods Store in Appleton. "Fridays were long days; I'd have to get the kids off to school and drop the baby off at my cousin's and get to work by nine o'clock. I'd work until nine at night and many times Eleanor would have had to fix the meals and get the kids off to bed. She worked hard too for a young girl. "One time I came home so tired and there on the table I found an apple pie my son, Ken, had made for me. He even cleaned up the mess!" Looking to secure her family's future, Catherine went to Fox Valley Technical School and took evening typing classes so that she could get a better paying job. She was "real good with figures" and shortly thereafter was hired as a secretary for the Paul Wydeven Insurance Agency in Kimberly. Catherine worked there in progressive capacities for 25 years until she retired in 1975. Quiet, reserved Rosella was not without her own fortitude. She married Emil Van Dyke in 1935 and together they raised three children: Jean Weyenberg of Kaukauna, Karen Dollevoet of Darboy and James of Appleton. In addition to running her household, Rosella operated the Van Dyke Beer Depot of Little Chute while Emil worked the pulp-wood scale for the K-C mill. Rosella epitomized the gifts of hospitality and compassion to her children and extended them to others, often having her sisters' families and mutual friends to their cottage on Rockland Beach on Lake Winnebago for picnics and fishing parties during the summer. "On the Fourth of July we'd all watch fireworks or during the winter it was Saturday night Sheepshead card games, five-ten-fifteen. There'd always be a keg of beer and we'd get steak or chicken lunches for 35 cents or just make sandwiches. There was always lots of food, kids and fun." Marie, Catherine and Rosella looked out for one another whenever and whatever the need, whether it was taking care of children, painting houses, or moving furniture. There came a time when Catherine thought it was a good idea to teach Marie how to drive. She was 60 at the time, widowed and living back with thier father; driving would be a good thing to learn. It was easy, said Catherine, who'd been driving since she was 16. She'd proven her skill to her dad and sent in her 25 cents for the certificate. All Marie had to remember was to come to a "dead stop." Catherine took Marie to the cemetery to practice. The going was taxing for both women. On a return trip home, the issue of a "dead stop" came to a full head when the side door panel of the garage got in the way of parking the car. Needless to say, the "girls" had to get the paint off of the car and patch the hole before their father got home. "Pa always stressed, 'Come to a dead stop,'" Catherine directed Marie. Catherine may or may not be an instigator, but she is certainly a leader. When it was time for her sisters to forego their homes and accept a less demanding, self-sustaining lifestyle, she recommended the accommodations and services of St. Paul Elder Care Manor. Catherine has been a St. Paul resident since 1998; Marie joined her in March of 2005 and Rosella in September that same year. All are active, mobile and relatively healthy women living in their independent apartments. They enjoy meals together or with friends, they attend church services in-house and they play cards or bingo. "We have our own bath, our own thermostat. They clean our apartment and the food is good. It's a good place to live," offered Catherine. "We had to go somewhere, and Catherine liked it … so, it's a good place for us too," agreed Marie. "Sisters, sisters; there were never such devoted sisters…"
- Rosella P. Van Dyke, formerly of Kimberly, age 99, died Monday May 7, 2012 at the St. Paul Home. She was born on Little Chute on April 29, 1913 to the late Henry and Petronella (Bergman) Bongers. Rosella married Emil Van Dyke on August 21, 1935 at St. John Nepomucene Catholic Church in Little Chute. He preceded her in death on April 3, 1978. Rosella enjoyed playing bingo and socializing during the St. Paul Home's happy hour and the monthly dinner outings. She also liked to read, knit, crochet and play in her neighborhood monthly card club.
Rosella is survived by her children: Jean (Hooyman) Weyenberg, Vanden Broek; Karen (Jerry) Dollevoet, Appleton; and Jim (Mary Jo) Van Dyke, Appleton; grandchildren: Mike (Ellen), Steve (Mary) and Tom (Vonnie) Hooyman, Dan (Meredith) and Jesse (Heather) Dollevoet, Jenny (Dave) Sprangers, Brady (Amy) Sturm and Emily (Jerry) Gordee; great-grandchildren: Amy (Ryan) Vosters, Katie, Kim and Kelsey Hooyman, Alex and Annika Dollevoet, Noah and Chloe Sprangers, Kylie and Katie Sturm, Caleb, Alexa and Taylor Gordee; great-great-granddaughter Lauren; brother Bernard "Beany" Bongers; sister-in-law Evelyn Bongers; and special godchild Joan Martinez. She is further survived by nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
In addition to her husband and parents, Rosella was preceded in death by her sons-in-law: Ervan Hooyman and Romie Weyenberg; brothers Joseph, Cyril and Orville (Barbara) Bongers; sisters: Lucina (Nick) Jansen, Catherine (Martin) Schumacher and Marie (Joseph) Huiting; and sisters-in-law: Helen and Wilma Bongers.
Visitation will be held Friday May 11, 2012 at HOLY SPIRIT PARISH (620 E. Kimberly) beginning at 10:00 a.m. until the time of Mass at 12:00 Noon. The Rev. Msgr. James Vanden Hogen will officiate. Committal St. John Cemetery, Little Chute. To sign the guestbook, visit www.oconnellfh.com. A memorial is being established.
The Van Dyke family would like to send a special thank you to the St. Paul Home and staff, especially Kim, Paula, Nicole and Amy.
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1913 - 2012 (99 years)
