Sunday, July 25th was the 50th annual Sommerer Family Picnic. My folks, Uncle Lloyd and Aunt Jane, came up for the weekend, and we all went to Fremont, NE to meet some other Sommerers. They have a picnic in a park every year at about this time. Uncle Lloyd says that Grandma came up to see them once that he remembers, and Leroy Engelbrecht has, evidently, been up a time or two.
This is actually the second year that we’ve attended, but it had been a long dry spell since they heard from the Sommerers from Missouri, and my Dad was glad to fill them in.
There were somewhere between 20 and 30 people in attendance, but there are more relatives scattered about than that. They said that they have a hard time getting any of the young people (anyone under 40) to come. My dad thought they could maybe use a lake and some boats for that.
They were just about the nicest people you would ever want to meet, and the food (we had a pot-luck lunch) was way too good and there was way too much of it. They made us feel very welcome and they want to know when the rest of you are going to come up.
Who are these people? They are the descendants of Great Grandpa Sommerer’s brother. That is to say, Adolph Sommerer’s father’s brother. That brother was Johann Wilhelm Sommerer (for those of you keeping score at home). There might have also been some descendants of his sisters Katherina Maria and Anna (who also went to Nebraska) there as well. I wasn’t quite straight on that bit.
Fun fact #54: You are related to Jordan Larson who is on the USA National Volleyball team. She played against Lincoln Lutheran (where I teach) about 6 years ago, and she’s wicked good. However at the time I didn’t know that we were related. We are (again, for those of you keeping score at home) fourth cousins once removed. Her mother was a Sommerer, and we share, approximately, 0.026% of the same genetic material.
Christina Rowland says
Actually, you are third cousins, probably two or three times removed…As these are Great Granpa Sommerer’s Brother’s decendents, that would make Adolf a First cousin, Lloyd Sr. a Second Cousin and you a Third cousin. If Jordan is a generation or two below you, that would be the times of removal and since Dad was the last of the 12 children the other side of the family could certainly have one or two generations on you. I’m glad you had a good time…You’ll have to let me know when the reunion is next year so I can come too!
Lloyd Jr. says
Drat, you’re right. I was counting brothers as cousins on the chart and that threw me off. Third cousins once removed it is. If anyone’s wondering (I know) that didn’t throw off the percent of genetic material.
By the way, where’d everybody go? There were lots of people commenting, and now… POOF… everyone’s gone. Was it the rapture?
Christina Rowland says
Oh….Aunt Lolly’s family is in Branson for the weekend…..that probably explains it!
Rachel says
The only Sommerer folks in Branson were Sam, me, the kids and Whitni. (We stole her for a couple of days.) We are back so let the comments begin!
Julie Baker says
Well you were saving my post because you said you had others to post first… So I thought you were overloaded with posts 😉
Lloyd Jr. says
They are two different things. We have lots of nice posts (yours will be up tomorrow), and people are sending in “new” memories and such that we will post in the future. Nebraska Sommerer Family Picnic is a post.
What we don’t have are comments. What you just wrote (and the 3 others here –4 if you count this one) is a comment, and that’s what I’m hoping to see more of.
Besides, comments are easy. It can be as simple as saying, “I remember that too.” Or you could ask a question about the post. Or maybe answer someone else’s question.
Julie, I know you know all this stuff already. You just gave me a perfect opportunity to say it, and I didn’t want to pass that up. So thanks.
Lauren says
I’ve always thought that Lloyd has great volleyball-playing potential.
Christina says
Is that because of his awesome vertical jump?
cleo says
testing teating 123
Jane Sommerer says
Cleo and I just had that discussion about the difference between comments and posts. I think we have it straight now. We enjoyed the reunion very much. Lloyd was a good host. We got to go Monday and see where the original Sommererville in Nebraska was. It is just across the creek about a mile from Uehling, Neb. The tombstones were in Oakland, Neb I think. I learn stuff all the time.
Aunt Lolly says
Christina it’s because Lloyd’s related to Jordan Larson! Go Lloyd! yah
Julie Baker says
LOL we are not here to earn cash. What we have is priceless anyway!
Four generations of family = PRICELESS!
Randy Sommerer says
To answer the Anna Sommerer relation in case it’s still a question.. Anna Sommerer is my Great Great Grandpa Johann Wilhelm Sommerer’s sister. She married Otto Uehling in Nebraska. I believe the town of Uehling, NE is named after them. My great grand father was Mathias Fred Sommerer and My grandpa was Wayne Sommerer. You would have met my grandma Marge Sommerer and my Dad Kim Sommerer at the reunion. My dad’s sister was Kae whose daughter is Jordan Larson.
Hope that cleats it up. 🙂
Randy Sommerer says
I was wrong about the town of Uehling.. Otto’s dad, Theodore Uehling, who married Katherine Schwab..is who it is named after.
Wonder if they’re related to Charles Schwab??
Jane says
Hello Randy. When is the reunion this year?