Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Deb's family and memories

Al and Jeanne's oldest daughter Debra (Deb), married her high school sweetheart, Don Ebetsch, on Aug. 19, 1972. They were richly blessed with 2 children. Brookes Marie was born on Sept. 3, 1980 and Graham Arnaud on Aug. 20, 1984. They moved back to Wheaton where they grew up. The children attended the same high school where both their parents attended. Brookes graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 2002 with a BFA in Ceramics and Digital Photography and a second major in Spanish and has worked at the University since her graduation. She is currently working on her Masters in Not-For-Profit Administration and will graduate in May 2007. Graham is a senior at the University of Notre Dame and will graduate and have a BFA in Graphic Design in May 2007.
After graduating from college Don was a grade school teacher, then bought a Pet Shop and currently works for a chemical company. Deb was an art and first grade teacher at the same grade school, stayed home for 12 years with the children and is currently a high school Jewelry and Metalsmithing teacher.
In 2001, Donna Samper brought the family together (as Ferd just recently did) at her wake and funeral. As a result, we had the first Samper family reunion the next summer (2002) in Indpls.
Ed and Mary Katherine and their 3 children came all the way from Schreveport, LA.
The reunion reconnected the family and it brought us all together after a long time apart.
As a child making visits to Indpls to see a Grandmother, Aunts, Uncles and Cousins I have very fond memories.
We spent most of our time with Uncle Bob and Aunt Donna-Donna even entertained me when I was attending IU and was homesick and would come up to Indy for the weekend. I remember when I was young going to West Lake with Nikki and Randy and sitting on the top of the car (something I had never done at home)at the drive-in. The difficult time was when Bobby Jo was in Viet Nam and watching what it did to his father. Bob always told us, "Honey, this is your house!" (we knew where the key was hidden!) Oh the times after Don and I were married that we came in late, after my parents had already arrived, and slept on the living room floor.
Uncle Ed always asked how my grandmother was (my mother's mom) and washed the ice cubes before putting them in the glass. We used to love to watch Uncle Ed and dad flex their muscles in the mirror in the living room as Aunt Dorothy got more and more angry-which only made them do it more. When we were little Ed(die) would ask us if we wanted to see a monkey and we said yes he would take us in the basement and hold us up to a mirror (we fell for it every time).
Uncle Ferd and Aunt Nanette's home had the prized swimming pool. I had never had macadamia nuts until they were introduced to me by my glamorous Aunt Nanette. We used to laugh every time Tina (the little chihuahua) would piddle at the front door. My memory of Uncle Ferd is his black mark 4 Lincoln that he let me drive one Sunday morning.
And what could be more memorable than our late night runs to Long's for donuts and yes, eating at the TeePee and going to Govco with Grandma Samper.
These are only a few of the many things I could write from my childhood visits to Indianapolis.
Suffice to say that I have many fond, fond memories of Indianapolis and family.
Lets continue!

Saturday, February 24, 2007

Los Antepasados

It all started back in Morelia, in the state of Michoacán, México. The Stark's daughter, María Inés, found the Campuzano's son, Rafael and got married. Their children were Raquel, María Elena, Eva, María de la luz, Inés, Alfonso (died), and Rafael. Número 15 Poniente, Avenida Madero, across from the cathedral was their home.

Inés Campuzano Stark married Julio Samper, a friend of her father's. Julio had immigrated at age 19 after graduating from medical school at the Universidad de Salamanca, España. He made his way to Morelia where he opened his office "Consultorio de Julio Samper."

Julio and Inés had four children, all boys. In order of appearance they are Fernando, Eduardo, Roberto and Alfredo, (a.k.a. Ferd, Ed, Bob and Al). In 1913, they took a boat from Vera Cruz to Ellis Island, with their infant, Fernando. They settled in NY for a short time, but soon made their home in Indianapolis, IN where the other three sons were born.

The short and less interesting version of the rest follows:
Ferd married Nanette Berry. They had Ferd Jr., Joan and Michelle (Mickey).
Ed married Dorothy. They just had Edward (Eddie)
Bob married Donna Burke. They had Robert Joseph (Bobby Joe), Randal (Randy), and Nicoli Gay (Nickey).
Al married Jeanne Hibrecht on August 13, 1949. They had Debra Lynne (Debbie) and Laura Jean.