The Baptismal Gown
Originally Written between 2013-2015
The wedding dress was simply beautiful – not only because my Grandma Albina Valenta looked so stunning in it; but, because she – being a dressmaker by trade – sewed the dress by hand. The year? 1914 – the tenth of January. She married my Grandpa, John Lehecka, over one-hundred years ago.
Fourteen months later, Grandma tore her wedding dress apart to make a baptismal gown for her first-born – my mother, Elsie. Not only did she make the dress, she made a flannel slip and crocheted a bonnet and booties. She added a pink ribbon to the bonnet and booties after she found out what she had. This was the “have to wait until it’s born to find out what you had” era, after all.
The dress was lovingly packed away in a box for twelve years when – surprise!!!! My Uncle Tom was born in 1927. Finally – a son to carry on the family name. After Tom’s baptism, the gown was again placed in a box for the first grandchild. However, that poor little dress had to wait quite a long time before it came out of the box again. My brother (the first grandchild) was born in 1941 followed by me three years later and my sister after another three years.
Of course, the dress was hand washed and ironed with care for each of our christenings and then – back in the box for almost twenty years. You see, the last name of Lehecka did end with my uncle. He, and his wife, Beverly Tauger Lehecka had no children during their 67 years of marriage.
Well, the dress sure got a workout during the next ten years – worn by eight great grandchildren! And now – we’ve had to mail the dress to other parts of the country each time a new great-great grandchild is born – a total of seven, so far.
The original box fell apart many years ago and so I decided to display the baptismal gown in a large case – for all to see. I’ve recorded the names and birth and baptismal dates on the back of the case. My grandma would be so proud and happy to know that her dress is still in excellent condition and is waiting for the 20th baby to carry on the tradition started over 100 years ago!
BAPTISMAL GOWN
SLIP, AND CAP
The gown was made from Albina Valenta Lehecka’s Wedding Dress (January 10, 1914). Albina was a dressmaker by trade and made her own wedding dress.
Albina made the Baptismal Gown for her first child, Elsie Lydia Lehecka (Vogel). Her brother, Thomas John Lehecka, wore it 12 years later.
WORN BY BIRTHDATE
1. Elsie Lydia Lehecka (Vogel) March 14, 1915
2. Thomas John Lehecka April 4, 1927
3. Stephen John Vogel October 3, 1941
4. Mary Barbara Vogel (McGraw) June 10, 1944
5. Joanne Elizabeth Vogel (Warren) May 13, 1947
6. Michael Edward McGraw May 30, 1966
7. David Steven McGraw June 1, 1969
8. Brian Joseph Vogel April 17, 1970
9. John Norbert McGraw July 9, 1971
10. Eric Harry Warren January 28, 1972
11. Rebecca Mary McGraw (Hudoba) February 28, 1975
12. Mark Charles Warren October 3, 1975
13. Matthew Stephen Vogel May 18, 1976
14. Dean Anthony Hudoba September 3, 2003
15. Timothy Norman Hudoba March 29, 2006
16. Johan Oscar McGraw April 24, 2007
17. Benjamin Charles Warren February 3, 2010
18. Samantha Grace Warren June 25, 2011
19. Reese Ella Warren November 26, 2011
20. Isabelle Loeta McGraw July 16, 2019
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