Bert Vogel Eulogy

Elsie Lydia Lehecka Vogel

March 14, 1915 – February 7, 2003

 

Hi, I’m Mary McGraw, one of Elsie’s daughters.  On behalf of me, Steve, Joanne, Uncle Tom, and all her grand children, I’d like to thank you all for coming here to celebrate her life.  My cousin, Paul, just told me a little while ago that his little girls were wondering when they were going to get to go to Aunt Elsie’s party.  And that’s right.  Mom wanted a party and that’s why we had nametags, food and refreshments last night at the visitation and why we plan on celebrating her life today.

 

I’d like to particularly thank the two soloists who sang today:  Sally McGraw, my daughter-in-law sang Amazing Grace and Adele Donavon, fiancé of my nephew, Brian, sang Ave Maria.  They sang beautifully and I know mom was pleased that they honored her in this way with their wonderful voices.

 

Last night at her visitation, many people told me to “remember the good times.”  And that got me to thinking about the good times.  I suddenly realized that I had no bad times.  ALL my memories are good.  I wonder how many people can say that.

 

How does one find the WORDS to honor the life of someone who has lived her life so fully…and so lovingly?  And used WORDS as a way of sharing that love and life to all that she’d meet?  Using WORDS was a way of life for mom…through her writings of the history of Forest Lake in the Times newspaper or her book Reflections written for the city’s centennial celebration in 1993…. or through the many letters and notes she’d write to friends and family, far and near.  I could never talk her into sending out copies of just one Christmas newsletter.  She insisted on writing on each card.   And, not just “Love, Bert and Elsie.”  No, it was always a little mini-novel personalized to fit each recipient.  Mom and dad went to Europe at least 25 years ago and to this day, she still corresponded with a couple of her traveling friends they met way back then.

 

We always encouraged mom to “shop from her home” for her gifts to us kids and her grandchildren.  She would find just the right gift that fit his or her interests and talents and then write a little history about the item.  Before we could open our gifts, she’d always say, “Now, there’s a little story that goes with this.”

 

As you know, mom was a “talker.”  Just another way to communicate all those WORDS.  She truly was interested in whomever she was speaking to and made that person feel very special.  And then… days, weeks, months or even years later, she would remember past conversations and continue on!  What a gift.

 

Mom always had a positive attitude, didn’t she?  She had a smile for everyone and seemed to light up the room when she entered. Whenever she would get despondent or low, it didn’t seem to last very long.  She had trouble walking long distances but hardly ever complained.  If, and I mean, IF, she ever complained, she’d say, “Oh, well, what can I do?  Talking about it won’t change it.”  And then she’d talk about something pleasant.  My dad died four years ago and she missed him terribly.  But, instead of saying, “I wish I was with Bert,” she’d say, “I wish Bert was with me.”  Now, that’s positive thinking!

 

Next month, mom would have turned 88 – an age when you would think one would normally take it easy a little.  No, she filled her days with her many writing projects, spent time on the phone with all her friends and family, threw in a couple naps, and always went to bed wondering when she would find the time to get everything done.

 

While mom considered Forest Lake her home, she was actually born in Chicago and lived in Pine City, Foley, Sandstone, and Finlayson, Minnesota until they moved here when she was 13.  My uncle, Tom, is her only sibling and she certainly had a lot of stories about always having to babysit him since he was 12 years younger than she.  My grandpa owned Lehecka’s Meat Market and mom worked there as a meat cutter for many years.  After graduating from Forest Lake High School in 1932, she went to Globe Business College to learn to be a court reporter.  That career didn’t last long because she married my dad in 1940 and they started their family and their careers as owners of Vogel’s Cafe, Bar and Hotel.  It then became Vogel’s Supper Club.  They started Skateland Roller Rink in 1955. During my parents’ fourteen years of operating the roller rink, many, many people have considered my mother their “second mom.”  I‘ll tell you why.  Mom listened to everyone’s problems, consoled broken hearts, rejoiced and celebrated new relationships, and nursed scraped elbows.  The little ones on Saturday afternoon trusted mom enough to “allow” her to “watch their bottle of pop” while they skated to the popular song of the day.

 

Every year, our house would be in a total uproar for four months while mom would produce the Coronation and Skating Show.  With a cast of over 100 skaters ranging from toddlers to grandparents, she would sew costumes, choreograph routines and run the election – to name just a few of the many duties she performed.  What a gift of giving she had!

 

While this may be a recognition of my mom, I can’t help but include my dad.  I have the unique privilege of having had practically every one of my dates chaperoned by not one, but both my parents!  I can honestly say that I was always proud to introduce my dates to mom and dad.  To this day, ex-skaters would go out of their way to greet them and introduce their own children, a spouse or even grandchildren.  When they closed the rink, they were given a plaque by the skaters that read:  “To Bert and Elsie – Our Home Away From Home.”  I feel honored to have shared my parents with so many.  And, at this time, I’d like to publicly thank all of the former skaters who helped my parents as they grew older.  You will never know how thankful they were to have been a part of your lives….to watch you all grow up, get marred, and be successful.  You may be 60 years old now, but they still called you their “kids.”

 

Mom was one who volunteered for everything.  From being a Cub Scout den mother to being a Charter member of the VFW.  She was an Officer in the American Red Cross, as well as a VFW Junior Drill Team Leader.  She was an election judge for several years and was a Director on the Library and Whispering Pines Boards.  She has always been a leader and one who loved to party!  She acquired a whole new set of friends while working on the Forest Lake Centennial Celebration Committee.  And, they sure knew how to party.  Mom would reminisce about the wonderful times during “meetings” with the committee that she’d throw at her cottage.

 

The cottage was a constant in mom’s life for over 70 years.  She and my dad lived there for a few months after they were married and had their wedding anniversary celebration on that same spot 50 years later!  Oh, how she loved Forest Lake.  Did you now that it was always sunny in Forest Lake?  Always a breeze and always ten degrees cooler in the summer and ten degrees warmer in the winter?  I would call and complain about the rain in Coon Rapids and she’d say, “Raining?  Why it’s sunny out here!”  In my mom’s estimation, the City of Forest Lake and its people could do no wrong.  She would take it as a personal attack if anyone said anything derogatory about Forest Lake.  That’s my mom….the loyal one!

 

She will certainly be known for her knowledge of the history of Forest Lake.  For twenty years, mom wrote the historical columns and features for the Forest Lake Times.  She was so thrilled when they started re-running her articles this past year.  A whole new generation of newcomers to Forest Lake now have a chance to learn about their city.  She truly left a legacy to be treasured!

 

Her book, Reflections, was her pride and joy.  And I have to tell you about what she said after spending one afternoon autographing books.  She had a pioneer costume made and bought a big garden hat and thoroughly enjoyed the book-signing event.  There must have been over 200 people there and she admitted to me that her hand was a little cramped.  Then, she said, “But, there was this one person who I didn’t know and I had to ask her to give me her name.”

 

Mom made friends wherever she went.  As most of you know, we “made” her move closer to us in Coon Rapids.  We found a lovely senior apartment building named Margaret Place.  She was interviewed for a “Meet our New Resident” article in the apartment’s newsletter.  And one of the residents, Ethel, recognized her name and came right over to her apartment.  You see, Ethel and mom were childhood friends in Finlayson and hadn’t seen each other in 75 years!  Yes, it’s a very small world.  How mom enjoyed re-living her grade-school years with a dear, dear friend.  Mom had to admit that she did make some new friends and even though they were not from Forest Lake, they were also very close and dear to her.

 

While mom loved her friends, her family meant the most to her.  While going through her things this week, we discovered how much.  She kept every card we sent her, every newspaper article about our accomplishments, wedding and birth announcements and pictures galore.  She wrote a journal and we can see the pride she had in everything we did. Her eight grandkids were most special to her.  She left little notes on practically every keepsake…..for history’s sake.

 

My mom had a stroke.  And ten days later, she was gone.  Gone from our lives but not our hearts.  But, through her WORDS….those written and also in our memories, she will live on and on.

 

We love you, mom.