A bit of family history

The Sunday Oregonian, Portland’s newspaper, had an obituary last Sunday for E. W. Firstenburg. (It’s not like I read the obituaries on regular basis, but in this Oregonian, the obituaries were at the end of the Metro section. And yes, even though I do not live in Metro Portland, I do read the Metro section on a regular basis.)

The name rang a bell. I read the death notice. He had worked at the Ridgefield State Bank starting in 1936, eventually buying it in 1950. Hmm… Ridgefield rings a bell. I finally pulled out the newspaper that reported on Mom & Dad’s wedding. And in the column next to the article headlined “Popular Young Couple Take Marriage Vows” was another article with the caption “Bratlie and Firstenburg Buy Sherwood Bank.” I assumed I had discovered my only reason to recognize the ‘Firstenburg’ name. But when I reread the article on the far side of the front page, titled “Shower at Stevens Home Honors Young Couple”, I realized the Mr. and Mrs. E.W. Firstenburg attended Mom & Dad’s wedding shower.

E.W.’s wife, Mary, died in 2009. They were married for 72 years. One of the last outside links to my parents is gone. And I didn’t even know they were still so close by.

Next time you raise your glass, remember the Firstenburgs.