Verne and Ardith Koenig family

Left to right: Jody, Ardith, Verne and Kelly. Back: Bonnie and Gary.

with Precision Visuals, where she worked for a while in their Munich, Germany office. She also worked for X.V.T. and now works as a computer consultant for U.S. West in Denver and Bouider, CO. The couple lives in Boulder.

Jodv born at Decorah married Donna Roffman at Postville 3 Aug 1980. Donna was born at Postville. Their children are: Sarah and Andre. Jody graduated from Decorah High School and attended the University of Wisconsin, LaCrosse. He also took a course in Electronics and was first employed at KDEC Radio in Decorah as an announcer and engineer. He also worked at Radio Shack and had his own electronics shop for awhile. In 1990, Jody and his family moved to Vancouver, B.C. Canada to attend a music/recording school. Jody currently works at Kephart’s Music Center in Decorah, as a musical electronics technical troubleshooter. He is a musician, a songwriter, and has played with a number of musical groups in the area. He has also recorded an album and several cassette tapes. Donna graduated from Postville High School and works at the Sunflower Child Care Center in Decorah. She is President of WELCA at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church.

Kelly born at Decorah married Karla Ruen at Decorah 27 Oct 1973. Karia was born at Decorah. Their children are: Kelly II and Kari. Kelly graduated from Decorah High School and attended Ellsworth Junior College in Iowa Falls, IA. He then went to the University of Idaho at Moscow and finished his formal education at Iowa State University at Ames. He entered the U.S. Air Force and was based at Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach, FL. After returning from service he and Karla ran a restaurant in Postville for a couple of years. He then worked for Story Construction of Ames, a lumber yard in Boone as assistant manager, and Weitz Corp. in Des Moines as Superintendent/Estimator/Project Manager. He also worked for them in West Palm Beach, FL and Phoenix, AZ. He is now employed with Marshall Erdman and Associates in Madison, Wl as Post Contract Cost Control Manager. Karla, finished high school in Decorah in 1972. She attended Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, IA in Dental Assisting. She graduated from MATC in Madison with a Dental Hygiene degree in 1990. Karla now works in Windsor. Wi as a Hygienist for three dentists. She is active in the Religious Education Board at St. John’s Catholic Church in Waunakee, Wl and an avid fan at sports events involving her children. The family lives in Waunakee.

Koenig, Wilhelm and Charlotte (Meier)

(Verne Koenig)

Wilhelm Frederich Koenig was born 19 Aug 1845 at Levern, Westphalia, Germany, the son of Johann and Charlotte (Pottkamp) Koenig. When he was a small boy, his father left home, supposedly to go to America and was never heard from again. Wilhelm married Charlotte Meier 20 Nov 1868 at Levern. She was born 9 Jan 1841, the daughter of Ludwig and Henriette (Marten) Meier. She was born at Sundern, Westphalia, Germany. Wilhelm and Charlotte came to the United States in 1872. They arrived at Ellis Island, New York and then traveled by train to Chicago, arriving there on the 4th of July. Since they were unaware of the American tradition of shooting firecrackers on Independence Day, they were sure that the Unitea States must be at war. They were saddened about this because they thought they had left war behind when they left Germany. After being assured we were not at war, they left Chicago and traveled to Clayton Co, IA, where they settled near Garnavillo and farmed there until 1880. They paid for their passage to America and saved some money to eventually buy a farm of their own. They left the Garnavillo and Froelich area where they lived for a short time, and moved to Bloomfield Twp, Winneshiek Co, where they rented a farm belonging to A. Winkley in Section 30. In 1884 they purchased a farm near Castalia and lived the remainder of their lives there. Charlotte Koenig passed away at the family home 11 Jun 1915 and Wilhelm died at the family home 27 May 1928.

Children of Wilhelm and Charlotte Koenig are: Louise born 25 Feb 1870 at Sundern, Germany and died 6 Apr 1930 at Monona, IA. She married Charles Kaiser 15 Sep