By Doug Berg
One summer in the mid-1970’s, I pulled my truck up to one of the four way stops in Excelsior. As I awaited my turn to go, a blond boy of 11 or 12 jumped into my truck.
“I know who you are-you’re Berg,” he exclaimed.
“And I bet I can guess who you’re a little Vomhof,” I said.
“Yep, Billy,” he said, “You’re the Mini-School teacher who’s had my brothers and sisters, Howard, Tweety, Diane, and Sharon. Just wanted you to know who I was because you’re gonna have me in a few years.”
“Thanks for the warning,” I said, as he jumped out of my truck at the next stop sign.
As I drove away, he yelled, “Say, there isn’t any way I could get into Mini-School a little early, is there? I’m only in 6th grade next year but I can paddle a canoe pretty good already!”
Well, Bill and his brother Bob come into Mini-School, making 6 Vomhofs. We made a clean sweep of the Rogney family- Rory, Rick, Roger, R.J., Robin and Toot. Kohmons- John, Jim, Patti, Bill and Bob. Days- Roger, Mark, David, and Junior. Forces- Mike, Steve, Dave, Tony and Billy. Reifenbergers- Tommy, Joey, Ginny.
Then, by the late 80’s, the next generations started appearing. Bedfords, Thompsons, Banyons and more. And when Mini-Schoolers married Mini-Schoolers, as with Roger Day and Betty Ptiffner, or Mary Jo Seamans and Jim Paulson, some of the branches of the Mini-School tree got very heavy. Thanks to Brooke Woitalla (parents: Mini alumnus Lisa Lund and Mike Woitalla) for making the current family tree. Good memories.
