Employment Updates: A Retirement and a Birthday

Kathy Clancy shares that her husband, Brian, retired from the Village of Cooperstown on April 30.  Brian was the public works superintendent, and had been a village employee for 31 years.  In addition to his paid position, Brian also served several terms as the village's fire chief.

For the whole story, and more, visit http://www.allotsego.com/reception-honors-retiring-cooperstown-dpw-superintendent/.

Hancock Concrete Products, the company where Bill Adams is employed, celebrates its centennial year in 2017.  A celebration was held July 3 in Hancock, Minn., with a luncheon and plant tours.

Bill, husband of Marsha Whiteside Adams, appears in a video history of the innovative company that designed the first precast box culvert in the U.S.   The video can be viewed on the Hancock Facebook page, or on Marsha's Facebook page.  (P.S. Bill is NOT in the photo below.)

The Graduate(s)

I have one word for you - CONGRATULATIONS!!

Don Roman announces that his son, Donovan, graduated from Mount Pleasant High School on June 4 with an International Baccalaureate degree.

For those of us scratching our heads, your editor appropriated this information from the IB website:  "Founded in 1968, the International Baccalaureate® (IB) is a non-profit educational foundation offering four highly respected programmes of international education that develop the intellectual, personal, emotional and social skills needed to live, learn and work in a rapidly globalizing world."

Donovan will attend RIT in the fall to study environmental engineering.  Here is a photo of Donovan (#7) with the other seniors on the Knights varsity lacrosse team at their last game. 

Katie Murphy, daughter of Jennifer and Don Murphy, graduated May 13 from high school.  Here is a photo of Katie with mom, dad and brother Keenan.

On June 13, Emilie Kestner, daughter of your faithful editor, finished up her studies at Abilene Christian University in Texas, receiving her Master's Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy.

Judy and Joe drove to Abilene from Corpus Christi, a six-and-a-half-hour drive, the night before the ceremony.  The next day, a flat tire on Emilie's car, necessitating the purchase of a new one, and the steep climb to the nosebleed section of the Moody Coliseum on campus seemed like omens, but the 3:00 event went off without a hitch.

Emilie will finish up some requirements over the summer, take her licensure exam on July 20 and be ready for those job offers to start pouring in (and so will her parents...)!

June Wedding for Stephen Clancy

Kathy Boggs Clancy and Brian Clancy of Cooperstown announced the marriage of their eldest son, Stephen Clancy, to Heather Place.

The ceremony took place on June 17, 2017 in Hartwick, N.Y.

The newlyweds will reside in the Clancy family home on Pine Blvd. in Cooperstown.

Heather yesterday posted this sweet sentiment on Facebook:  "And now I have the best mother-in-law ever." 

Best wishes to the couple for years to come!

Lisa Fieg Accepts New Position

Lisa Fieg has accepted the position of project coordinator at Caldwell Partners, an international executive search enterprise with world headquarters in her hometown of New York City.

This marks Lisa's departure from Russell Reynolds Associates, also an executive search firm based in New York, where she was employed for 23 years.

Lisa, 61, formerly worked for People Magazine and Morgan Stanley, both based in New York, and Thomson/Reuters, based in Toronto and London.  Caldwell is also based in Toronto.

Caldwell's world headquarters are located in the 44th story at 2 Grand Central Tower in Manhattan.  From her windows, Lisa has a view of the Chrysler Building and the Empire State Building, and it is just across the street from her gym.  Caldwell searches out high achievers, visionaries and innovators and places them with major corporations throughout the world.

Lisa attended New York University, Pace University, and Delhi Tech. 

Nancy Fieg and her aunt, Lisa Fieg, enjoying pie at Bubby's

Run, Maddie! Run!

Maddie Shedlock, granddaughter of the late Annie Bookhout Morgan, is a cover girl!

A photo of Maddie, her dad Andrew and her brother Ryan was selected for an ad promoting a 5K run on May 13 in the Big Bend area of Florida.  The photo shows Maddie in a pink tutu and purple tee-shirt, running next to her dad under an arc of colored balloons.  Ryan stands at the left side of the arch, leaning toward them on his right foot and cheering them on.

The run is sponsored by an organization called Girls on the Run of the Big Bend, whose mission is to "inspire girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running."

Maddie's mom, Denise Egan Shedlock, posted the photo on her Facebook page, proudly announcing the honor as, "So cool!"  Your editor is in full agreement!

New Twigz on the Family Tree

We have some new babies in the family!

On March 19, Laura and Valentino "Chief" Kasibante welcomed a baby girl at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital in Marietta, Ga.  

Zionne Namusisi Kasibante was born at 12:09 a.m. and weighed 6 lbs. 15 oz.  Mother and daughter came through the delivery with no problems.

Writes Chief on his Facebook page, "She is so adorable, I love her so much already.... Dream come true.  I am the happiest man in the entire world now.  Thank you Jesus."


Dan and Jenny Bookhout have it all, too, from A to Z!  On Jan. 6, 2017 Miss Zadie Bookhout joined big sister Arwen in this wonderful world.  Grandparents Will and Diane Bookhout could not be more proud of the newest addition to their down-line.

Pass the cigars!

In Memoriam

In recent weeks, two members of our extended family have passed away.

Eleanor J. Williams, mother of Ed Williams, died on March 24 at 9:00 a.m.  Ed is the husband of Fieg cousin Sue Williams. 


Grave-side services, conducted by Colonial Funeral Home, were held at Lake View Cemetery in Cleveland, Oh., and Eleanor was laid to rest beside her husband, the late Edward A. Williams, who died in 1987.  Eleanor Williams was born on April 1, 1920.

It is fitting that Ed's mother should be laid to rest in this particular cemetery, as it is the site of the mausoleum of President James A. Garfield, which was co-created by Ed's great-grandfather,  Joseph Carabelli, who immigrated to the U.S. from Italy in 1870.

Mrs. Williams had been in a great deal of pain and Sue writes in an e-mail, "She was really suffering (and) could barely talk above a whisper." 


In a brief e-mail, FFN roving reporter Greg Fieg said that Donald A. Roman died on Feb. 22, 2017.  Don was the brother of the late Bob Roman, husband to Dorothy Fieg Roman.   A memorial service will be held at a later date.

Don Roman, for whom Bob and Dorothy's middle son is named, was 97 years old and worked up until he was 93!  He was born on Aug. 8, 1919, and served as an Air Raid Warden during World War II.

Our condolences to the families.

Hermann Fieg Artwork Restored

Your editor is happy to report that two watercolors by Hermann Fieg, son of Carl and Emilie Fieg who immigrated from Germany in 1900, were recently re-framed by the artist's great niece, Diana Fieg Doyle.

The pictures had bounced around the family until they fell into Diana's hands, and she took steps to protect these family treasures, having them framed and put under UV glass so the works won't fade.  See for yourself!

 Additionally, Diana had an appraisal done on Uncle Hermann's horse painting on wood that was donated to the family by Doris Holm, niece of the artist, in 2012.  Diana reports that the appraiser thought that the painting was of sentimental value, but that a price of $400 to $500 might be put on it.

Roving reporter Greg Fieg has floated the suggestion that the wood painting be given to the Wall Drug Store in North Dakota, which houses a large collection of art and artifacts from the American West.  He will attempt to get consent from the management of Wall Drug and report back. 

2016 Catch-up

Hi Twigs!

Here is a whirlwind catch up of stories buried in your editor's email files.  Hope you enjoy them, and that you can share them over the upcoming Christmas holidays.

Reunion
Sue Williams, only daughter of the late Lothar "Bud" and Catherine Shafer Fieg, attended her 50th high school reunion in Ste. Genevieve, Mo. this past June.  She and hubby Ed visited with her brothers Doug and Steven, and Steve's wife Eleanor, while there.

At Steve and Eleanor's home: Steve, Richard, Sue, Eleanor, Doug, Ed

Doug and Sue at the cemetery

Birthdays
Anne Whiteside Still celebrated 60 years on this earth in June.  Here she is with her sibs Marsha Adams and Bob Whiteside II.

Doris Fieg Holm celebrated her 89th birthday in October. Looking good, Doris!  Who's the photo-bomber??

Water
The Kestners in Corpus Christi survived another water alert in their city -- the fourth in about 12 months.  This time, instead of there being bacteria in the system, an industrial company had leaked a chemical into the water.   Luckily, before Judy had to decide whether to drive two hours to Harlingen, Laredo or San Antonio to stock up, the alert was lifted for their part of town.  Whew!

A Boy and his Dog
Greg Fieg travels everywhere with his little dog Rosie.  She helps brighten the hours spent on the road and also is a superb photographer's model!

Starring....
Jennifer Roman will be performing in a production of "Annie" at the Upper Main Line Y in Berwyn, Pa.  She will play the part of the evil Miss Hannigan, following in the footsteps of Carol Burnett, Kathy Bates and Jane Lynch.  The show will run the last two weekends of April, 2017.  Jennifer is the wife of Don Roman, whose mom is the late Dorothy Fieg Roman.

Backwards Boy
Keenan Murphy, grandson of Liz Bookhout Boggs, learned a new trick this year -- his father must be so proud!

Moving On
Diana and Bill Doyle have moved!  They said, "New Hampshire's the place we want to be!" so they loaded up the truck and they moved to Madison.  The new address is 51 Little Shore Dr., Box 149, Madison, NH 03849.

Mary and Jack Wolcott also moved -- ahem -- last year.  They bought an ocean-front condo in St. Augustine, Fla. and plan on doing more "want tos" than "have tos."  Their address is 1 Dondanville Rd., Unit 2016, St. Augustine, FL 32080.

Drop them a line!

MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY NEW YEAR AND ALL THAT JAZZ!

Long-lost Daughter of Bob Roman is Found

In July, John and Anne Roman connected with John's half-sister, Sandy Hatcher, who resides in Florida.  Here is the lightly edited story, written for the Roman family blog, courtesy of Anne:

John, Don and Mark Roman have known since they were young teenagers that their father, Bob, had a brief marriage to Dolores in his early twenties.  They had met when Bob was playing alto sax and clarinet with the Don Ragon Band in the mid-west during the late 1940s.  Dolores was from Indiana.


Among all the old photos taken by Grandpa Tony there were pictures of Bob and Dolores as newlyweds ...


and also some photos of a baby girl named Sandy.  John also remembers the name Dolores was crossed out on Alice and Tony's Bible family tree.


In the spirit of the fifties and early sixties, these things were just never discussed and certainly Dorothy never talked about a half-sister with her sons after their father died.  It's hard to understand for our generation that is so used to blended families.

In recent hears John, Don and Mark have talked about trying to find Sandy, but without knowing Dolores' maiden name or her new married name they didn't have a clue about where to start.  they asked Uncle Bill and Uncle Don who remembered a cute little girl, but not much else.

Fast forward to the weekend of June 25, 2016.  John and Anne were in Utica visiting with the family when Lori Birt came up with the idea to post the search on Facebook.  John created a short message asking people to "help me find my sister."

We released the postings after midnight and by the time we woke up on Sunday morning, John had an email message from a "search angel" who, in just 48 hours,  was able to locate a Sandy Hatcher in Gainesville, Fla. who was the daughter of Dolores!

Sandy saw [a Facebook message from Mark] when she was at work and it was the first time she had ever seen a picture of her birth father!  the message and the photos brought tears to her eyes.

Sandy was born in December 1951 and her parents separated when she was only 9 months old.  Dolores remarried and Sandy's stepfather adopted her.  she never knew that she was adopted until she was 17 years old.  When Bob died, Dorothy sent her a letter informing her of the news.

John and Anne had plans to be in Florida at the end of July, so arrangements were made for the three to meet.  Sandy is divorced and is a nurse in Gainesville.  She has recently moved to a small town on a branch of the St. John's River to live next door to her sister and brother-in-law, as she plans retirement later this year  Sandy's married daughter has s young son.

Word Paintings From November, 2016

Judy and Joe Kestner were hosts to their daughter, Emilie V., who came in from Abilene for the Thanksgiving holiday.  They also had a surprise - and very enjoyable - visit from Cade Dangca.  Cade, the number one grandchild of Greg Fieg, is currently stationed in El Paso, in his last year in the U.S. Army.  His paternal grandparents live in Corpus Christi and he and a buddy drove the 14 hours in to visit.   In all the excitement of watching him eat pumpkin pie and then a plate of turkey and all the trimmins, the thoughts of taking a current photo flew out the window.  Suffice it to say, Cade is a remarkable young man!

Kathy Boggs Clancy's turkey was done an hour and a half before the rest of the meal!!  So they all sat around and admired the pretty holiday table she set. 

Tommy and Tamara Bradford, Brenna Rose, Cindy, Richard

Richard and Cindy Fieg had their girls and son-in-law over for the holiday.  Peace out, dawgs!





Jean and Phyllis Fieg, in Greensboro, N.C., pulled a "Christmas Story" stunt and had Chinese for Thanksgiving.  Phyllis said the meal was from a new restaurant in town and was pretty good.  Judy and Emilie Kestner will be visiting in December -- hope we get to try it out!

Greg and Doug Fieg Enjoy Chitown Thanksgiving Celebration

The stars aligned and the peripatetic Greg Fieg (and his little dog, too!) was able to alight for a while to eat turkey, chat up the relatives and take a break from flattening out our nation's interstate highways.  Also, making the trek from the Show Me State to the Windy City was Cousin Doug Fieg, 

On Thanksgiving Day Greg and Doug joined cousin Sue Williams her home in Orland Park, Ill.  Sue's hubby, Ed, and his mom Eleanor rounded out the happy group. 

Greg reports that he had a most pleasant time, the food was delish, the company charming and the conversation sparkling.  Who could ask for anything more?

Recent Word Paintings

Maren Corkery, eldest child of Sarah and Kevin Corkery, was delivered to Northeast Catholic College in Warner, N.H. on August 21.  Maren earned a scholarship to the Catholic liberal arts institution which occupies 135 acres on Mt. Kearsage.  Maren will be missed, especially by her mom who can't believe she's old enough to have such an elderly kid!

Your editor and cousin Anne Roman both opted to receive their Social Security in the very same month!  They are now rolling in the dough, eager to use the shiny new Medicare cards they recently received in the mail. 

Shields relatives Peter Collier and his two kiddos, Will and Libby, are visiting upstate New York from their home in England.  They have visited the Delaware County Fair in Walton, gorged on barbecued brisket and enjoyed the beautiful scenery in Upstate New York and New England.  Peter is related through marriage to Midge McClenon, director of the annual Shields family reunion.  Midge's mother was a Shields.

Diana and Bill Doyle have decided they want to live on Little Peas Porridge Pond in New Hampshire, so they loaded up the cat and, on the third try, set off for the Granite State.  Originally this was to be an experiment: if Diana could continue her travel business from New England, they would sell their properties in New York and make it permanent.  Looks like the experiment was a success -- anyone want to buy a home in Lake Placid or Croton-on-Hudson?

In keeping with her birding-related activities, your editor has purchased what her husband, Joe Kestner, terms "the ultimate tree-hugger's car," a Subaru Forester.  It is jasmine green and just gorgeous!  We also have a new roof with a hint of green in the shingles, so, just sayin'....

With characteristic generosity, Eddie Fieg Sr. has purchased three commemorative bricks that are installed at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans.  The bricks honor his dad, Frank Fieg, and his uncles Lothar "Bud" Fieg and V. Philip Fieg, who all served in that armed conflict.  On a recent trip to Louisiana, Ed and his youngest, Max, went on an airboat ride through the bayous and Max made a friend -- two in fact:

JUMPING FOR MARSHMALLOWS

MAX AND BABY ALLIGATOR

Daniel P. Corkery Is In the House!

On Flag Day, June 14, 2016, Daniel Peter Corkery entered this world.  He joins his parents, Sarah and Kevin Corkery, and his nine brothers and sisters in their Oneonta, N.Y. home.

Dan was born at 8:24 a.m. weighing 9 pounds and measuring 20 inches long.   He is the third boy in the family.

To your editor, he bears a resemblance to his maternal grandfather, Greg Fieg, who noted that even shortly after birth Daniel exhibited an alertness that is rare in one so tiny.

Something else sets this kid apart: his very sweet Kirk Douglas chin.

Our congratulations to the entire family!

What Happens in Vegas....

In early May Sue Williams, only daughter of Lothar "Bud Fieg and Catherine Shafer Fieg, took a trip to Las Vegas to visit both her brother Russell and his wife Heny, and our cousin Samantha Theobald and husband Chuck.  Here is the news that was allowed out of that city:

 

Hi family/friends,

 

We are home.... It sure is nice to travel when the shuttle, TSA, flights, bag claim, drive home etc. work out perfect - it can be fun to travel!

 

Vegas family looks great. We met up w/ Heny once for dinner, Russell twice and Samantha/Chuck once. Russell is looking good (hopefully he'll give up the smokes and look even better............I know how hard it is to do). Chuck has kept off his weight and Samantha is still doing the beautiful smile she always has when we show up. Hopefully we will get back out there Sept./Oct when the weather is good. We want to stay longer next time.....this trip was too short.

In the picture, from left, Sammie, Sue and Chuck.

 

 

The Fieg Name Lives On!

On Friday May 27, 2016 Brian Fieg of Acworth, Ga. sent an email to your editor as follows:

Our newest son, Nathan Daniel Fieg, was born this morning (at home) at around 2:41am. We are both doing well, just tired. We are a little fuzzy on the numbers, but we think he was 6 lb 4 oz and 19 inches long. Will send a correction if those aren't quite right.

He is nursing well. His brother and sister are very excited about him. We adore him!  

We love you all!

And from Facebook:

 Caleb and Lily are so happy to have another sibling to love. This time, I got to catch the baby, which was a pretty cool experience. Thank you Lord for a great birth and for our wonderful midwives Debbie, Lacey and Ashley!

Brian is the son of Doug Fieg and Susan Untiedt.  He and his wife Emily and their two children Caleb and Lily have been waiting for what seemed like nine months for the newest addition to their - and our - Fieg family.  Hugs and congrats to this burgeoning family!!
 

Anne Elinor Bookhout, 68, Dies Suddenly

Anne Bookhout

Anne Bookhout, an Oneonta native who, with an Ivy League education and a nursing degree from Hartwick College,  launched a county-wide public health agency, died unexpectedly May 28 at her Brooktondale, N.Y. horse farm.  She was 68.

Bookhout was born March 23, 1948 in Oneonta, the fourth child of  Judge Richard J. and Florence Fieg Bookhout.  She attended Bugbee School and Oneonta public schools, graduating from Oneonta High School in 1966 and from Cornell University in 1970.  She worked in various capacities in the healthcare field in Oneonta after receiving a nursing degree from Hartwick College.

In 1984 she returned to Cornell to earn a master's in healthcare administration. Anne founded a key city-county public health agency, Visiting Nurse Service of Ithaca and Tompkins County, serving 20 years as chief executive officer.

Having owned and loved horses since the age of 12, she later founded Quickland Stables, a commercial equestrian riding and boarding facility at her residence in the Ithaca suburb of Brooktondale.  She operated the business until her death.

Anne is survived by her husband of 25 years, Robert Morgan, whom she assisted in running a commercial trucking fleet.

She is also survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Andrew and Denise Shedlock of Tallahassee, Fl., and their children Madeline and Ryan; a step-daughter and her husband, Janice Morgan-Solano and Nickie Solano of Edmonton, Ont., and their son Kyle.  Anne also leaves siblings Kathryn Bookhout Biggerstaff of Delmar, N.Y., William Bookhout of St. Augustine, Fl., Mary Bookhout Wolcott of St. Augustine, Fl. and Richard Bookhout, Jr. of Troutman, N.C.

She was preceded in death by her parents and a sister, Elizabeth Bookhout Boggs, of Oneonta.

Funeral services were held June 5 at Bangs Funeral Home in Ithaca.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to the Cornell School of Veterinary Medicine.

Historic Fieg Photos Available On-Line

Great news!  Don Roman has set up an account on Shutterfly containing scanned photos from the first four albums of historical Fieg photographs dating from the 1890s through 1994. 

The albums were created by the founder of the Fieg Family Newsletter, V. P. Fieg.  He wanted to be sure these treasured images and other documents were preserved and, since this was way before anyone ever even dreamed of something like Shutterfly, affixing the actual photos to construction paper, punching holes and putting them into a notebook was the most cutting-edge method of preservation available.

You can see the faces from the past that look like the faces of today, use it as a great resource for a school project or just take a walk down Memory Lane.

Our thanks go to Don and brother John Roman for their dedication in scanning the 300+ pages and transferring them to the cloud-based storage site for our enjoyment, and the pleasure of future Fieg generations!

If you need one, create an account with Shutterfly.  This is a free service, though photos can be ordered and printed from the website at a competitive price. Better yet, they can be downloaded to your computer for free.   Once the home page pops up, click on the 2016-03-20 link. 

After some brief experimentation, your editor found that, to see the photos at full-screen size, you need to click on "slideshow," then click the pause button (two vertical bars in the circle) and last click on "full screen" at the top right.  You can scroll through the pictures at your own pace using the arrows to the right and left of the photo.

Many pages have multiple pictures on them  When they are downloaded to your computer they are saved as jpg files which are easily edited, cropped and saved individually.

Here is the link to view all the pages of these tomes.  Enjoy a blast from the past!

Fieg_Historic_Photo_Albums
https://fieghistoricphotoalbums.shutterfly.com/

 

Maren Corkery Wins Scholarships, Prize

Maren Corkery of W. Oneonta, N.Y., eldest daughter of Kevin and Sarah Fieg Corkery, is contemplating accepting a scholarship to Northeast Catholic College in Warner, N.H.

The seventeen-year-old, who recently got her driver's license, wrote an essay which won her a $1,000 annual scholarship from the school and an all-expenses paid trip to the Dominican Republic, the home country of her great-grandmother Marina. Maren was one of six recipients.

She also has been offered a $9,000 annual scholarship from the college, a $5,000 home-school annual scholarship and a $3,000 annual scholarship from the St. John Newman Society.

Maren is also considering attending school in Virginia.

Maren's grandfather is Greg Fieg.

And Babies Make Three....

You editor belatedly announces a new addition to the Fieg family tree, and two more to come.

First, Laura and Chief Kasibante welcomed a new baby brother to keep big brother Maxwell company.  The Kasibantes came back to the U.S. last year for the birth, and stayed in Georgia with Laura's brother Brian and his family.  Judah Mwebaze made his appearance on July 18, 2015, less than a month after his parents celebrated three years of wedded bliss.

The family returned to Uganda in September and, though the fall of 2015 saw some illnesses and even a hospitalization for Maxwell, they are now healthy and happy and working hard at the prayer center.  They have purchased more land and are building a larger facility, slated to cost $100,000, and donations toward that goal are welcome.  

Funds can be wired to Barclays Bank Uganda Ltd., Kampala; Swift code BARCUGKX; for the HOPCCN - House of Prayer Community Church, Nkumba, account 6004755837, Branch Plot 32 Luwum St., P.O. Box 2971, Kampala, Uganda.  You can see the construction progress at www.houseofprayermkumba.com.

 

The "two more to come" to which your editor alluded in the first sentence are also boys! 

The first, due in May 2015, will be Laura's nephew, son of Brian and Emily Fieg.  From the photo below, you can see that the reaction of the baby's brother, Caleb, is quite different from that of his sister, Lily.  (Greg Fieg is also elated that another male Fieg twig is sprouting on the family tree!)

In a November 2015 email to her Aunt Sue Williams, Emily writes, "Caleb is really starting to use advanced sentences.  He can count to 10 and identify all numbers 9-0.  He is almost able to do 10-20, too.  He can also say the whole alphabet.  We are in the process of potty training....  As soon as he can go without an accident for 2 weeks we will be enrolling him in preschool.  He is growing up so fast!

"And speaking of fast, Lily had grown immensely in the last 4 months.  When she turned 1 she wasn't saying any words, wasn't walking without support and only had 2 teeth.  Now she says more than 20 words, is walking and running and climbing like a pro and has 11 teeth.  She loves shoes more than anything and knows how to throw a heartbreaking tantrum when she doesn't get her way.  

"They love each other so much and enjoy making each other laugh, especially at meal time."

  
The second baby boy will be Greg's fourth grandson and child number 9 for Sarah and Kevin Corkery.   The due date is in June.  The new baby will be the third boy in that family.  The baby's father is partial to the name Daniel, though a final decision has not yet been made.

The Corkerys are planning for radical logistical alterations to make room for this ninth child who, in essence, will replace his eldest sister, Maren, when she goes off to college in the fall.  The baby's  siblings, in addition to Maren, 17 are Colette, 14, Grace, 11, Karoline, 9, Frances, 7, Sean and Seamus, 4, and Gemma, 2.

Doris Fieg Holm's Daughter Resting At Home

After several inquiries from the family, your editor contacted Doris Fieg Holm about her daughter, Nancy Wiley, who was this year diagnosed with terminal lung cancer.

Here is the reply that was received:

"Thank you for your message asking about Nancy.  We are waiting with her, since she has been given some time - about six to nine months, and this was in June.  She is at home with hospice care, lots of family coming and going in an odd schedule. (Husband) Gary's family (son and sister), (Nancy's) sister Janet (McHenry), brother Matt, sister Roberta and husband Steve (Martinez) and I were (all) with them in July.

"Janet went down (Nov. 7) for a four-day weekend off from school.  Nancy's daughter, Rachel, visits from Fullerton, Calif. and (is able to) bring her work with her on the computer.  She does computer drafting for a design company in L.A. 

"I appreciate your loving concern for Nancy.  She says she is at peace and is resting comfortably at home.

"That is really all I can report right now.  It is hard to accept, and so painful to think of losing my daughter.  But Matt just returned after two weeks there, helping as best he could.  She sleeps a lot, is sweet and with good care.

"She elected to not accept any more radiation or chemo, since the after-effects last spring were so difficult.  We don't want her to suffer any more either.

"I am having trouble getting around, too ... using a walker, etc.  I had an MRI yesterday, and the results will go to a surgeon.  We shall see about that, too, soon, I hope.

"Sometimes life is hard, just plain hard."

Doris loves to hear from family members - please drop her a line, as they say!

Dr. Jeffrey Whiteside Dies at 63

Fieg cousin Dr. Jeffrey Whiteside, age 63, died during the summer of 2015.  His passing took his family painfully unaware and the entire clan grieves with his siblings Marsha Whiteside Adams, Robert Whiteside and Anne Whiteside Still, and with his wife Kathi (Amick) and children Matthew Whiteside, Juliana Corderman and Andrea Cataldo.

Jeff was the second oldest child of the late Dr. Robert and Maxine Fieg Whiteside.

Jeff was board certified in internal medicine, critical care medicine and sleep medicine with special expertise in thirteen areas including asthma, lung cancer and sleep apnea.  He and Kathi, with partner Dr. Kevin Garrett, founded Fox Valley Pulmonary Medicine in Appleton Wis. in 1982.

To quote from the eulogy delivered by Dr. Maria Aristigueta, a colleague at Fox Valley Pulmonary, "Jeff was passionate about education.  He was actively involved in the Fox Cities Family Practice Residency Program and in the Northeast WI Technical College Respiratory Therapy Program.  As a result of this, many of these graduates have remained in the Fox Cities and we are a stronger community because of this."

Jeff was a member of many committees and president or chairman of countless medical boards but, in the office, he never lost sight of his patients as people and became more than just their physician.  He was their friend.

Jeff's life was celebrated by Pastor Jane Anderson at 2:00 p.m. on July 31, 2015 at the First Congregational Church of Christ in Appleton.  The service was, according to cousin Sue Fieg Williams, a very emotional one.  Sue, her husband, Ed, and her brother, Doug, attended the memorial.  Said Sue, "Rev. Jane Anderson spoke about Jeff's life accomplishments and family history.  Jeff's son, Matthew, added some memories of Jeff's life as a great father to his three children and grandchildren....  The service was followed by a reception in the church's lower level.  The receiving line of attendees was lined up out the door, another testament to Jeff's life.  God bless Kathi and family members...."

Both the program from the ceremony and Dr. Aristigueta's eulogy are available upon request to your editor.  Memorial contributions may be directed to Headwaters Search and Rescue, P.O. Box 332, Eagle River, WI 54521, or on-line at www.hsark9.org and clicking on the "donate" button.

Arwen Bookhout Comes Home

On Monday August 10, Miss Arwen Charlotte June Bookhout was released from the hospital and her proud parents, Dan and Jenny Bookhout buckled her into the car for the ride home.

After a harrowing delivery, Arwen has grown stronger over the past four weeks, and no wonder - the last post on Facebook showing the family departing the hospital had 330 Likes!  With support such as  that, Arwen couldn't help but improve rapidly and now she joins her parents and two dogs in St. Augustine, Fla. for a tube-free life filled with love!

One question:  how does her mommy look so dang good so soon after having a baby?

Another New Fieg Leaf

You would think that it is spring time, what with all the new babies in the Fieg family!  Here is the roster of the most recent descendants of Carl and Emilie Fieg, who planted the seed of the Fieg tree in America in 1900:

NUMBERS ONE AND TWO, PLAYING FIRST BASE
On July 7 at 2:38 a.m. Chance Michael Cross was born to parents Cory and Jessica Roman Cross.  The story was published in the FFN shortly thereafter, but little did your editor know that there was a contender for this position!

Also on July 7, 2015 Judah Mwebaze Kasibante entered the world at 4:16 a.m. at the Kennestone Hospital in Kennesaw, Ga.

The baby was delivered by C-section, and was just over 6 pounds in weight and 18.5 inches long.

Judah joins brother Maxwell Kasibante as the second child born to Laura and Chief Kasibante.  Laura is the great-granddaughter of Carl and Emilie, and her dad is Douglas Fieg. 

You can see how much big brother adores the baby!  These two gorgeous kids are a wonderful addition to our family tree.



NUMBER THREE, ON SECOND BASE
Jenny Bookhout (whose hubby, Dan, is also a great-grandchild of Carl and Emilie) went into labor on the afternoon of July 10 for a planned home delivery, but had to be transferred to Flagler Hospital in St. Augustine due to a low fetal heart rate.  The baby's heart rate recovered en route and, on July 11, Jenny gave birth at 5:38 a.m. to Arwen Charlotte June.

Arwen was immediately sent to Shands Hospital in Jacksonville for intensive treatment, including cooling her body temperature (a technique that is new to your editor!), to insure that she was ready to hurtle healthily into the world.

Eventually she was off the respirator, radiating her own body heat and beginning to nurse normally.  Once she can take 75 ml from a bottle she will be on her way home.  Nothing but the best thoughts and prayers go to the fledgling family!

Any more out there??

Romans Welcome New Leaf on Family Tree

Thanks to cousin Anne Roman for this breaking story!

 

Cory and Jessica Roman Cross welcomed a baby boy at 2:38 a.m. on July 7, 2015 at Greater Baltimore Medical Center in Towson, MD, the hospital where Jess works as a nurse in the Oncology Unit.  The name chosen for him was Chance Michael Cross.

 

To their credit, Jess and Cory did not want to know whether their new baby was a boy or girl, stating that there are few happy surprises in life and they wanted the baby's sex to be one such revelation.  A surprise he was, arriving about two weeks early (surely taking after the Cross family, for, as many of you know, the Romans are not known for being early).  

 

Chance weighed in at 8 lbs. and was 21 inches long.  

 

If you are wondering about the baby's name, here's the story.  Last fall, Jess and Cory went to Las Vegas to hear their favorite band, Phish.  They arrived back home with a bonus and the lucky little guy was named Chance since he was conceived in Las Vegas and born on 7/7.  

 

This is the first child for Jess and Cory, who were married one year ago.  Jess's dad is Fieg cousin Mark Roman.  Mark's two other grandchildren are his son Robert's daughters Emily and Lydia.

 

Below is a picture from the hospital and his one-week-old photo in the froggie outfit.

 

Our very best to the family!

 

 

Shields Family Reunion Scheduled for July

This e-mail was received from Midge McClenon, whose great-aunt Florence Shields married Lothar Fieg Sr., the son of our original Fieg family pater familias in America.  I hope some twigs from that family will be able to attend.

The 80th Annual Shields Reunion will be held on Sunday, July 12th, 2015, at Nathaniel Cole Park (shelter #2) in Harpursville, NY.  

Lunch will begin at 12:30 PM.  Please bring a covered dish to share, and beverage and table service for your family.  Charcoal will be available for those who wish to grill.  

There will be a brief business meeting after lunch.   

Nathaniel Cole Park is open from 8:00 AM to dusk, offering swimming, boating, hiking, sports areas, and picnicking in a beautiful setting!  If you've never been there come see for yourself!  You're going to love it!!  

Call Vera 570 - 729 - 8621 or Midge 607 - 441 - 0475 or e-mail midgemcclenon@lycos.com, if you have any questions or need directions. 

See you on the twelfth!! 

Midge

House of Prayer Progresses Toward Completion

In Nkumba, Uganda there is a hum in the air from the activity at the House of Prayer Community Church.

Laura Fieg Kasibante, daughter of Doug Fieg and Susan Untiedt, is working side-by-side with her husband, Chief Kasibante, to establish a new place of worship in this town near Entebbe in central Uganda. 

The project began taking shape recently when the couple was advised they would be allowed only one more year to rent the church that had been their home for several years.  As Laura wrote on Facebook, "the Holy Spirit put it on our hearts to launch a land campaign last month (March). This is the promise God gave us: 1 Chronicles 17:9, 'Moreover I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own and move no more; nor shall the sons of wickedness oppress them anymore, as previously.'  We never could have imagined how fast this promise would be fulfilled."

Within a few weeks, property was found only one minute from their then house of worship and a campaign was launched to raise the needed funds.  The money was quickly secured and then the work began.

A team of volunteers from Calvary Chapel Oceanside in California flew in via Dubai to assist with construction.  They had sent what was termed an Ark - a container full of supplies, furniture and even playground equipment (which was the first thing to be installed) for the new facility.

Work began right away and today the congregation enjoys a much larger building with room for all who wish to come and enjoy the services and events presented by this hard-working, dedicated couple and their family and friends.