Albrecht family share photos, stories

Editor's note: The following story was submitted to the Southeast Missourian.

By Vicki Howell

Over Memorial Day weekend, the descendants of Louis and Edna Albrecht gathered for a family reunion. The reunion was celebrated as a surprise to Lou Albrecht, Louis and Edna's youngest child and also a member of the National Softball Hall of Fame. Louis and Edna had nine children: Glenn, Gertrude, Grace, Gordon, Garnett, George, Bob, Betty and Lou. On May 24 the family in attendance gathered at the family farm in Scott City where these siblings grew up. Jane Albrecht (wife of George who is now deceased) makes her home on the farm. Glenn, who lived in Oregon, has passed on, as has Garnett of Clearwater, Fla., and Bob, who also lived in Scott City.

The remaining siblings were all in attendance.

Glenn's oldest son, Richard, his wife, Muriel, and daughter, Shauna, of Gainesville, Fla. came for the reunion, as well as his son Chris from St. Rose, La. Glenn's other two sons, Dave and Leonard, were not able to attend.

Gertrude Roeh lives in Houston. Her two children attended: Bill and his wife, Beth, from Bonham Texas; and Judy Smith from Minneapolis.

Grace Sandager lives in Wheat Ridge, Colo. Her four daughters and one son-in-law attended: Donna and her husband, Vic Lebsock from Raleigh, N.C.; Linda Sandager of Wheat Ridge, Colo.; Helen Sandager of Kelseyville Calif.; and Evy Sandager of Reno, Nev.

Gordon still lives in Scott City and two of his three children attended: Ron, and wife, Barbara Duesing, of Dodge City Kan., and Walter of Maryland Heights., Mo. His daughter, Carolyn Stock, was unable to attend.

Garnett has two sons. Bruce Albrecht, his wife, Yvette, their son, Alistair, their grandson, Dylan, and Alistar's fiancee, Cara Nazaruk traveled to the reunion from London. Garnett's other son, Steve, was not able to attend.

George and Jane have two daughters who attended. They both live in Scott City. Vicki Howell, her son, Adam, his wife, Jaime, and their daughter Michaela attended as did her other son, Brett, his fiancee, Cassie Goodman, their son, Xzander; Becky Tapley, her husband, Richard, and their children, Whitney and Austin.

Bob and Mabel have two sons, Melvin, who was unable to attend, and Mark, his wife, Karen of Marion, Ill. Mark's children, Mandy, and husband Orville Earl of Lebanon, Ohio; and Danny of Marion, Ill. attended as well. Mark's other daughter, Sherry, visited with some relatives Friday evening before the festivities began.

Betty and her husband, Ken Schuba, traveled from Polson, Mont., to see everyone at the reunion. Betty and Ken have four children and they all attended: Don from Port Angeles, Wash.; Dave from North Bend, Wash.; Doug, his wife, Meg, and two of their three children, Matt and Andrea of Evansville, Ind.; and Janelle Evans, with her two children, Ryan and Nate from Louisville, Ky. Lou and her friend, Barbara Zwick, from Fairfield, Conn. rounded out the entourage.

They came from all over. On Saturday there was a lunch followed by conversations, looking at pictures, exchanging of family tree information, and games of badminton and corn hole. The evening of May 24 the group traversed to the River Ridge Winery in Commerce, Mo., where a good time was had by all.

May 25 the entire group attended worship service at Eisleben Lutheran Church, where Louis and Edna Albrecht attended and nearly all their children were baptized and raised in the church. They gathered again to eat in the church parish hall, this time joined by their cousins on the Roth side of the family. Edna Albrecht's maiden name was Roth.

About 80 people attended this assembly. More pictures were shared and family tree updates were achieved. Most of the family returned home late on May 25 or early on May 26, but those who still remained enjoyed a late lunch/early dinner at Lambert's in Sikeston, Mo., on May 26.