Nordhausen reunion brings more than 275 to local farm

Carla Mahar

WAUNETA, Nebraska -- As the brilliant orange orb of a full moon rose over Monte and Deb Nordhausen's farm in Southwest Nebraska, memories were shared and memories were made at the 2012 Nordhausen Family Reunion. Over 275 descendants of Dietrich and Dorthea (Wicke) Nordhausen gathered at the farm on Aug. 3 and 4 for the 12th tri-annual reunion.

The first reunion in 1979 was a picnic supper at the Wauneta High School. It was hosted by the Fred Nordhausen family. This year's reunion was again hosted by Fred's family. The Nordypalooza provided activities for all ages for the two-day event. On Friday there was golfing and card games at Ender's and swimming at Wauneta. Later in the day, the family gathered at Fred's original farmstead for kids' activities including a popular bouncy house, yard and water games, and of course, the opportunity to reminisce with family. Friday night ended with a barbeque supper and a family talent show.

The family gathered again on Saturday at the farm for games and fun, family pictures, silent auction, supper and a dance. Both evening meals were catered by Imperial Super Foods.

The family continues to grow. Since the last reunion in 2009, there have been 24 births and 11 marriages. The youngest member, descendant of Dora Nordhausen Denker, was Jensen Daniel Yoder, infant son of Chase and Jessica Brown Yoder of Wauneta, born May 27, 2012. Jensen was presented with a quilt made by the oldest member in attendance, Fred's daughter, Viola Nordhausen Krausnick, age 93, from Wauneta. A memorial service on Saturday night paid tribute to the nine family members deceased since the last reunion. Many of the family still live in Nebraska but members came from Texas, Washington, Wyoming, Iowa, Colorado, and other states.

The family began in 1890 in Riethausen, Germany, with the marriage of Dietrich and Dorthea (Wicke) Nordhausen. Twelve children were born to this union; Marie (Meyer-Schlepp), Emma, Fred, Anna (Thomas-Warncke), Chris, Elise (Haarberg), Dora (Denker), Carl, Bertha (Bischoff), Dick, Herman, and Adele (True). Dorthea's parents immigrated to America in 1895, settling in Ludell, Kansas. Following a trip back to Germany in 1904, they returned with grandchildren Emma and Fred. In the years to follow, the rest of the brothers and sisters came to America. They joined brother Fred, who had settled in the Lutheran farm community south of Wauneta, except for Anna and Adele, who stayed in the New York area. Following the death of her husband in 1927, Dorthea came to America, taking turns staying with her children in the Wauneta area. She passed away at age 94 in Imperial. All of her children are now deceased.

As the reunion concluded with young and old dancing under the great Nebraska sky, plans were beginning for the next Nordhausen Family Reunion. Keeping family connected in the interim is made easier through social networking, so hopefully the statement made by Page Johnston this year will again come true in 2015, "You know it's a Nordhausen Reunion when the Monte Nordhausen farm becomes the third largest town in Dundy County."