Larry and Doris Witt and their daughter Krista, pictured in 1979.
In 1980 Gary married Bonnie Wiederien, daughter of Gene and Lola Wiederien of Lidderdale. Bonnie attended grade school in Lidderdale and graduated from Kuemper High School in 1971. She then graduated from Des Moines Area Community College in 1972 as a Licensed Practical Nurse. Bonnie worked at St. Anthony's Hospital in Carroll until her marriage, and she presently works at the Crawford County Memorial Hospital in Denison.
LARRY WITT
Larry and Doris Witt farm one mile east and 2 1/2 miles south of Aspinwall on
the 240 acre farm purchased in 1920 by Larry's grandfather, George Witt Sr.,
formerly of Arcadia. The Witts emigrated from Germany
to America in 1875. Larry is the fourth generation farmer in the Witt family
and the third generation to own this farm, purchasing it from his father in 1974.
His father, Raymond, and stepmother, Nell Cook Witt, moved to Manning in 1972.
Larry, oldest son of Raymond G. and Elizabeth Schleuter Witt, has two sisters, Charlene Stokey and Ardith Mann, both at Omaha, Nebraska, and one brother, Russell, who passed away in 1974. Elizabeth Witt died in 1963.
After graduation from Manning High School he volunteered for the draft in the Army and served two years in Landstuhl, Germany.
Doris, daughter of Harlan and Edna Wunder Phillips, has one brother, Robert Phillips, who lives on the home place where she was born and lived until graduation from Manning High School.
After working at Mutual of Omaha for a couple of years, Doris married Norman Gruhn of Manilla; he died in 1963 of a heart attack. They had two sons, Brian Gruhn, an attorney in Cedar Rapids, has a daughter Andrea. Kenton Gruhn, his wife Sandra and their daughters Julie and Jacie farm near Manilla.
In 1964, Doris was employed as bookkeeper for Manning Implement, where she met Larry, one of the owners of the implement business. They were married March 26, 1965 in the Presbyterian Church in Manilla.
Their daughter Krista was born in 1968 and is now in the eighth grade in the Manning Community School.
HARRY AND AMANDA WUNDER
Harry Wunder was born May 5, 1891 to John and Minnie Wunder and Amanda
Tollgaard, born July 24, 1893 to Louie and Mary Tollgaard, were married
February 23, 1916 at the Lutheran parsonage in Manilla by Pastor Henry Wendt.
They started farming on the Wunder family farm 21/2 miles north of Aspinwall.
In 1931 they suffered the loss of some farm buildings by fire. The house, barn
and a shed were saved by the firemen and neighbors, but they lost considerable
livestock, grain, feed, machinery and the family car. Buildings were rebuilt and they continued farming.
Harry was ill for some time and died at his home August 23, 1936.
Amanda kept on farming for several years.
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After having a farm sale she lived in several places, including some time near her uncle in Mitchell, South Dakota. Purchasing a resort in Villiard, Minnesota, she lived there for many years.
She was married to Albert Truedsen, also of Villiard. He passed away in the 1960s. She continued to run the resort and later purchased a trailer home in Pinellas Park, Florida. She spent the winter months there later, selling the resort and retiring to Florida where she died April 28, 1972. Funeral services were held at the Ohde Funeral Home in Manning with Pastor Edw. F. Heinicke officiating. Burial was in the family plot at Manning Cemetery.
JOHN AND MINNIE WUNDER
John Wunder was born in Scott County and Minnie Wunder, born June 20, 1860,
also in Scott County, came to Crawford County following their marriage and
bought a farm from Jurgen Schroeder in Iowa Township,
2 1/2 miles north of Aspinwall. They became the parents of three children,
Kathryn, born September 3, 1889, and twin sons, Johnny and Harry, born May 5,
1891. Johnny passed away at 1 1/2 years of age.
The Wunders continued to farm here until March, 1916, when their son Harry and his wife Amanda took over the family farm. They moved to Section 35 in Hayes Township to live with their widowed daughter, Kathryn Jahn and her children. They continued farming for awhile. Later Kathryn had a farm sale and they all moved to a home on Second Street in Manning, which was purchased by the elder Wunders.
John passed away in May, 1927 and Minnie died October 22, 1946 at the Avenue Nursing Home in Des Moines.
WILLIAM WUNDER
William Wunder, son of Detlef and Bertha (Wiese)
Wunder, was born in Scott County in 1874. In 1900 he married Louise Sievers who
was also born in Scott County, in 1876. Her parents were Henry and Margarite (Hoffmann) Sievers.
William and Louise Wunder had three children. Edwin married Ida Koester and had a son, Willys; Edwin died in 1926 at the age of 23 years, and Ida lives at the Elm Crest Apartments in Manning. Edna married Harlan Phillips and has two children, Doris (Mrs. Larry Witt) and Robert. Erna married Herbert Sander and has three children, Bill, Carol (Mrs. Merlene Thompson), and Burton; Herbert passed away in 1959.
In 1893 Henry Sievers purchased a 160 acre farm in Hayes Township, which will be a century farm in 1993; it is now owned by Edna Phillips. Robert Phillips and his wife Audrey are the fourth generation to live on the farm.
TOM WURR FAMILY
Tom Wurr, son of Mr. and Mrs. Verl Wurr of Manning, and Teresa "Nook" Wanninger, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Wm. Wanninger Sr. of Manning, were married August 20, 1977, at the Sacred Heart Church in Manilla.
Tom graduated from Manning High School in 1972, and graduated from Fort Dodge Area Community College in 1973. He was employed by Gibbs Cook in Des Moines from 1973 until 1975, and was then employed by Dale Vollstedt until 1979. He is currently farming northwest of Aspinwall.
"Nook" graduated from Manilla High School in 1977. She was employed by Cliff's Place in Manning in 1978, and worked for Dr. Martin Ahrens, D.D.S., in Manning as a dental assistant from 1978 until 1980.
Tom and Nook have one daughter, Tonya Jo, born January 23, 1981.
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