Bertha Frieda Alvina Leverenz Gruenstern (1907)

Bertha and Edward Gruenstern

Probably in the 1930s

Bertha and Edward Gruenstern

Probably in the 1940s

Ed Gruenstern With His Big Fish

LEFT:  This was an old photo of Ed Gruenstern, Bertha’s husband, with his big catch.  He is with Phillip (age 4), his brother Harold’s son.  It was dated by the photo developing company as January 6, 1947, but it was obviously taken during the previous summer or fall (1946).  The fish is longer that Phillip is tall, which is probably why they chose him to stand next to it.  What a catch!

BELOW:  Here is a photo of “the new part” of Gruenstern’s IGA store in Stephenson, Michigan.  The inscription on the back says, “This is the new part that was built 2 years ago.”  The date on the photo is April 1958, so this new part must have been built in 1956.

The Bertha Leverenz and Edward Gruenstern Family

The top photo shows Bertha and Edward with their four children.  Helen was born in 1914, Gertrude in 1911, their parents Bertha in 1887 and Edward in 1883, Norman in 1908 and Harold in 1909.  The photo was probably taken in the 1930s or 1940s.  The left bottom photo shows Bertha and Edward alone.  The bottom right photo is a special one of the family.  It was taken in 1977 on their 70th wedding anniversary.