Our dad grew up on Lake Minnesuing in the town of Lake Nebagamon, Wisconsin; about 30 miles from Lake Superior. His grandparents on both sides immigrated from Sweden and farmed land granted to them through the Homestead Act. His father was a carpenter who built their home, the school, and the church they attended. Dad’s mom came from a family of 10, had a great sense of humor, and had fresh homemade donuts and coffee flowing all day long. Dad’s home was filled with love, faith, music, and great resourcefulness. Dad began his education at age 5 in a one room schoolhouse where he served as janitor when he was 10, then proceeded to a three room school, and ultimately graduated from Superior Central High School. Dad began at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the fall of 1945 majoring in Mechanical Engineering. He was drafted into the US Army in April of 1946. After basic training, Dad spent 33 days on a ship traveling from New Jersey through the Panama Canal and onto the Philippine Islands, where he was assigned to The 29th Engineers. After serving his country and upon discharge, Dad returned to UW-Madison on The GI Bill and graduated in 1949.
Our mom grew up along Lake Michigan in Two Rivers, Wisconsin. Her great-grandparents immigrated from Germany. Starting in kindergarten and continuing through high school, Mom shared a bedroom with her beloved Grandma Amelia whom she lovingly described as her best friend. Grandma Amelia’s husband died young from pneumonia which he contracted one winter working for the railroad clearing snow off the train tracks. Grandma Amelia raised and supported her 4 children through her work as a midwife. Cousins and friends often gathered at Mom’s growing-up-home to sing, play music, and enjoy many desserts! Mom worked in a factory while in high school, riveting handles on coffee pots. She played field hockey and tennis and was president of her high school senior class. Mom attended UW-Madison and was a Related Arts major. She was a quintessential creative with a brilliant eye for color and design.
Mom and Dad met at UW-Madison in September of 1948 in the Dining Hall at Chadbourne where Mom resided and Dad served as a waiter. They married in October of 1951. Theirs was a truly blessed and beautiful love story for the ages.
In 1969, they built their dream home in rural Wisconsin, and over the next 45 years, their children, grandchildren, relatives, friends, church family, youth group, and literally thousands of guests visited and enjoyed this magical, MAGNIFICENT, outdoor wonderland. It was a place where everyone wanted to come. Everyone was welcomed. Everyone was important and loved. Visits there left an indelible mark on each visitor’s heart and memory. Together, Mom and Dad brought all of their dreams, love of family, zeal for the out-of-doors, faith, creativity, and joy to this amazing place.
Our life in rural Wisconsin was a beautiful adventure, for 2 sisters, our older brother, and our mom and dad. Thousands of guests. Priceless memories. Decades of blessings. Through the years, we all frequently returned with our children,(the 10 cousins), who continued the traditions and grand adventures with their grandma and grandpa, (our mom and dad).
So blessed to share the adventures with you!
Clovercroft Publishing Group is home to the imprint Carpenter’s Son Publishing for faith-based books. Following the hybrid or custom publishing model, it offers authors high quality production with full national distribution to expand the reach of the story/mission to the market. Since the imprint inception, they have published hundreds of children and adult titles for the faith based and cross over to the secular communities.
