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Neil and Sylvia Slotemaker The names on the
following list are hypertext linked to the related info. thumbnail photos are clickable Family Update slideshow |
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CORNELIUS "NEIL" SLOTEMAKER & SYBRICH "SYLVIA" NIEVEEN (GRANDPA AND GRANDMA SLOTEMAKER)
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CORNELIUS ("NEIL") SLOTEMAKER Neil Slotemaker was born January 10, 1902 at the family home "about a quarter of a mile south and west of the corner of Front Street and B. C. Avenue" in Lynden, Washington, the first child of Jan ("John") and Tetje ("Tillie") (Kramer) Slotemaker. In 1912, the family moved to a 100-acre farm three and a half miles east of Lynden on what is now the Hampton Road, where Neil spent the remainder of his growing up years. He attended first and second grades at public school, where he learned to speak English. His brother Henry wrote in The Slotemaker Story, "Mother and Dad spoke only Dutch in [our] home until after their first son started school, and it was in school that he learned his first English. And he learned it quickly, not only because of native ability, but also the pressure of necessity." In September 1910, Neil and Henry became students at the newly-opened Lynden Christian School, where he graduated from Eighth Grade. [See The Slotemaker Story, included with this family history, for more information about the Lynden Christian School and the role it played in the lives of the Slotemaker family.] Henry describes Neil as "bold and aggressive," even as a
child. When introduced to farm chores at the age of 11, Neil quickly
demonstrated his preference to trapping fur-bearing
Neil married Sylvia Nieveen on March 10, 1927. They made their first home near Ferndale and lived in several locations in Lynden before purchasing a home on the Van Buren Road in the Clearbrook area in 1946.
During these years, Neil worked at a variety of jobs. Persistent rumors of bootlegging activity during prohibition have been consistently denied by friends and family over the years, but the possibility appeals to some who find it within the range of his adventurous personality. |
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Neil and Sylvia had six children: Arlene Clara Slotemaker, born April 20, 1929 in Ferndale, Washington. John Slotemaker, born December 12, 1930 in Ferndale, Washington.
Mathilda Ruth Slotemaker, born December 12, 1934 in Lynden, Washington. Melvin Neil Slotemaker, born March 18, 1939 in Lynden, Washington. Ivan Lee Slotemaker, born November 14, 1940 in Lynden, Washington. Gerald Roy Slotemaker, born October 26, 1943 in Bellingham, Washington. On December 8, 1941 Neil was seriously injured in a logging accident. He never fully recovered from these injuries. Ruth recalls, "Dad was raised in a very strict Christian Reformed home and church and in his late teens or early twenties he rebelled and quit going to church…Dad was always an individualist and didn’t like his kids to conform, just to conform. When I graduated from high school I had to give a speech, and I included my belief in God and how he frees people. Dad was never in sympathy with church going and the idea of a relationship with God, but he liked my speech because, I think, it was different and was what I really believed and didn’t follow the crowd…. This was two or so months before he died, and he knew he had Hodgkin’s disease and that he was going to die. Mom believes that Dad came to the Lord the day before he died. They talked in the hospital and he told her that he would be alright. Another thing – Grandma Slotemaker told Mom one day that she had had a dream, that, in heaven, she and Grandpa were sitting at a table drinking a cup of tea. And then Dad came in too. So Grandma knew that Dad would be in heaven too." Neil was eventually diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease from which he died on September 19, 1952. He is buried in Monumenta Cemetery, Lynden, Washington near his parents and grandparents in the family plots in the southwest corner of the cemetery. Ruth offers another memory of her father: "Dad, in spite of rebelling against the church, was a rigid moralist. He took great pride in always paying his bills, never owing anyone anything, and being honest. One day he and I were driving home on the Van Buren Road and I saw a billfold on the road. So I told him; he stopped and went back and picked it up. It had a fair amount of money in it, and this was at a time when we were very hard up, what with all of us kids at home yet. But Dad looked through it, found the owner’s name and phone number, phoned him up and gave him our address. The owner came and picked it up, and Dad refused to take any money for giving it back to him." |
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SYBRICH ("SYLVIA") NIEVEEN Sylvia Nieveen was born on December 16, 1904 in Platte, South Dakota, the fourth child of Melle and Aatje (Grommers) Nieveen. Her given name on her birth certificate is listed as Sybrich, and her nephews and nieces always called her "Aunt Syb", although she apparently went by "Sylvia" most of her life. [Early photos list her as Sylvia.] Most likely she was born in the house known as the Nieveen Post Office, which was still standing in an open field near the town of Platte in 1977 when the Mel Slotemaker family visited the area. When Sylvia was four or five months old, the family moved to Lynden, Washington. Sylvia grew up east of Lynden on the Stickney Island Road (now Northwood Road). She attended Timon School (a one-room school in the country near her home) through fourth grade, and then attended Lynden Christian School in Lynden. Sylvia loved to recall a unique experience in her childhood when the family home had to be moved quickly to save it from the flooding Nooksack River. She wrote about it in a "Legacy to My Loved Ones" book for granddaughter Sheryl Slotemaker Cartwright: House Moving Day After a big flood our house had to be moved in a hurry. The river was taking the land in big chunks. The moving was interesting to me a youngster of about 7. Was a little different than they do now. It was moved over logs that they lined up. The house was raised with large jacks and skids put under the house, then it was lowered onto the logs. A team of horses pulled the house and it rolled over the logs. Then more logs were added and the house was finally moved to its new location. Every thing stayed in the house, even my mother. It did not take the river long to take all the place where the house stood. Later wing dams were built to prevent the cutting away of the land, they are still there. I remember walking up the river seeing Dan Smith’s chicken house, half of it hanging over the river. It went down the river. A bridge also went down the river. Sylvia had rheumatic fever when she was about 15 years old. She was out of school for quite a long time, and when she returned to school she felt so far behind that she eventually quit attending school. As a young woman she worked as an egg candler at Oordt’s egg hatchery. In her words: Egg Candling I worked as an egg candler. Starting wage was $15 a week, then after a certain time got $16.50 a week, then $18 a week. That was the highest. I gave my mother all my checks until I was 21 then I gave her $10 a week and saved the rest. All the girls who worked gave their money to their parents. Unheard of now. Sylvia lived for a short time in California when she was a young single woman. Again, in her own words: California In the spring of 1926 Marie Vande Kamp and I decided to go to California. My cousin Mae Eerkes and Marie Van Diest were already there. Our first stop was Modesto; my mother's cousin lived there. Then we went on to Santa Ana where Mae & Marie were. We got work there doing housework but we had a good time. Then Marie & I went back to Modesto and we got work candling eggs. Marie soon left for Iowa & S. Dakota where she met her husband. I stayed in Modesto, had to earn enuf money to get home. While there I made friends, attended a Baptist Church and had many nice times. Was anxious to go home so went home. On March 10, 1927 she married Cornelius "Neil" Slotemaker. They had "a small home wedding" at her mother’s home with "family members, uncles and aunts" present. Sylvia wore a dark pink dress with pleats. They took a boat from Lynden to Seattle for their honeymoon. Sylvia and Neil first lived near Ferndale, where their first two children, Arlene and Jack were born. After five years they moved to Lynden so Sylvia could take care of her mother who had ataxia and could not care for herself. The family lived with Grandma Nieveen in her home on 8th Street where Ruth, Mel, and Ivan were born. Their last child, Gerry, was born in a hospital in Bellingham. They moved within Lynden several times before purchasing a home on the Van Buren Road in the Clearbrook area in 1946. What was a routine day like at your job? "After I was married I was a house wife and when the children were born I was a mother. So that was my work." Her daughter Ruth writes, "…at the time of her marriage, she (Sylvia) was happy not to go to church. Then when Arlene and Jack were little…she was invited to a home Bible study and because of what she learned there she turned to the Lord and had a relationship with him." Sylvia’s faith deepened through the years and sustained her through some difficult times. Sylvia was widowed in 1952 and continued to live on the Van Buren Road where she raised her three youngest children. In 1958 she sold that house and purchased a house on Grover Street in Lynden. When she moved into Lynden, she began working as a cook at the Lynden Christian Rest Home, where she worked until she was 62, retiring in 1967. Around 1969 she sold the Grover Street home and purchased a smaller home on Front Street, and she sold that home a couple of years later and purchased a comfortable new mobile home and located it a few blocks away on Front Street across from the Fairgrounds.
Not wanting to be a burden on her children, she chose to move into
Lynden Christian Rest Home, where she lived the rest of her life. She
was a great favorite of the workers there, who always appreciated her
quick sense of humor and her positive
Sylvia passed away quietly in the early hours of October 30, 1994 with Arlene and Judy at her side. She is buried in Monumenta Cemetery in Lynden, Washington beside Neil in the Slotemaker plots. |
Next Generation
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ARLENE CLARA SLOTEMAKER Arlene Slotemaker was born April 20, 1929 in the house where her parents, Neil and Sylvia (Nieveen) Slotemaker lived outside the town of Ferndale, Washington. She was their first child. She attended Lynden Christian Grade School and graduated from Lynden High School in 1947. She graduated from Western Washington College of Education in Bellingham, Washington, and later took classes at the University of Washington and the College of Idaho. Arlene married Howard Leslie ("Les") Barry on April 22, 1949 at Clearbrook Lutheran Church outside Everson, Washington. Les was born on March 25, 1929 in Wahoo, Nebraska, the first child of Howard and Inez (Lindquist) Barry. He graduated from Lynden High School in 1947. He was an independent logger in various locations in western Washington, operating Barry Logging Company with his father and brother, Merle. Les died of an aneurysm on November 28, 1962 in Seattle, Washington. He is buried in Lynden Cemetery, Lynden, Washington. Arlene and Les had two children:
Scott Howard Barry, born on November 6, 1949 in Bellingham, Washington. Linda Jo Barry, born May 31, 1952 in Bellingham, Washington. Arlene taught English and Journalism at Monroe Junior High, Monroe High School and Snohomish High School. She retired in 1985. Arlene married Gene Ernster on June 22, 1985 at Richland, Washington. Gene was born March 19, 1912 on a homestead 25 miles north of Hingham, Montana, the first child of Harry and Myrle (Pepper) Ernster. Gene graduated from Hingham (Montana) High School in 1929. He also was a graduate of Montana State University and the University of Washington. Gene was a pilot and a school principal. Gene died at their home at Potholes Reservoir (postal address Othello), Washington on December 24, 1995. His ashes were scattered over Potholes Reservoir and the Montana homestead. Arlene lives at Potholes Reservoir and loves to travel in her RV, "boondocking" whenever possible. email: stillrefusing@noemail.com |
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JOHN ("JACK") SLOTEMAKER Jack Slotemaker was born on December 12, 1930 in the family home in Ferndale, Washington. He was the second child of Neil and Sylvia (Nieveen) Slotemaker. When he was two years old, the family moved to Lynden where Jack graduated from Lynden Christian Grade School and went to Lynden High School for two years. The family then moved to Clearbrook where Jack graduated from Nooksack Valley High School in 1948. Jack joined the U. S. Army during the Korean War and saw duty in Germany and France. On August 6, 1951 he married Shirley Louise Wilder at her parents’ home in Lynden, Washington. This was the last major event of his life that his father was able to witness. Shirley was born January 30, 1933 in Bellingham, Washington, the second child of Lavern and Vera (Sundean) Wilder. After Army duty, Jack and Shirley moved to Eugene, Oregon where Dean and Jake were born. They then moved to Mount Vernon, Washington where Nancy was born. Then they moved to Burlington where they added Jackie and Michele.
Jack and Shirley had five children: Dean Alan Slotemaker, born August 11, 1953 in Eugene, Oregon. John ("Jake") Slotemaker, born September 26, 1954 in Eugene, Oregon. Nancy Jean Slotemaker, born September 15, 1956 in Mt. Vernon, Washington. Jackie Marie Slotemaker, born February 12, 1961 in Burlington, Washington. Michele Lyn Slotemaker, born April 13, 1970 in Burlington, Washington.
They lived in Burlington for 36 years where Jack made a living as a milk processor. He retired in 1995 and they moved to Hoodsport, Washington. In 1998, they bought a winter home in Yuma, Arizona and they now enjoy the warmth in winter as well as summer. Email:ShirJac@hctc.com Email: jshirjac@juno.com |
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MATHILDA RUTH SLOTEMAKER
Ruth Slotemaker was born December 12, 1934 in the family home on 8th Street in Lynden, Washington, the third child of Neil and Sylvia (Nieveen) Slotemaker. Ruth attended Lynden Christian Grade School through 5th grade, then transferred to Lynden Grade School for one year before the family moved to Clearbrook and the Nooksack Valley School district, where she was valedictorian of her graduating class at Nooksack Valley High School in 1952. Her father died just before Ruth began college that fall at Western Washington College of Education in Bellingham, Washington. She graduated from St. Joseph’s School of Nursing at WWCE and from Multnomah School of the Bible in Portland, Oregon. On October 16, 1959 Ruth married Henry ("Hank") Hershberger at the Word of Life Church in Lynden. Hank was born July 24, 1923 in Clark Township, Holmes County, Ohio, the third child of Daniel and Katie Ann (Beachy) Hershberger. Ruth and Hank met in Mexico – they were both already in Wycliffe Bible Translators. Hank was teaching in the orientation course in southern Mexico, Ruth was there as a student. They were in a very primitive area, a 7-day hike from the nearest town, no medical facilities except a clinic staffed by a nurse run by Wycliffe. The Indians there would come for both medical and dental help. Their first "date" happened when an Indian came to have some teeth taken out. Ruth had never done it before, so their "date" consisted of her giving the shots to deaden it and Hank pulling the teeth. "And since then," Ruth writes, "we’ve seemed to be able to work quite well together." Ruth and Hank served as Bible translators with Wycliffe in Australia for 25 years. After they returned from the mission field in 1986, they settled in Ohio where Ruth resumed working in the nursing profession. She and Hank continue to work on Bible translation efforts, working now with the Amish and Hutterite communities, some of whom are close at hand in Ohio. Daniel Ray Hershberger, born July 22, 1960 in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Carol Sue Hershberger, born September 12, 1962 in Cooktown, Queensland, Australia. Steven Dean Hershberger, born June 25, 1965 in Albury, New South Wales, Australia. Email:hank_Hershberger@sil.org
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MELVIN NEIL ("MEL") SLOTEMAKER Mel Slotemaker was born March 18, 1939 in the family home on 8th Street in Lynden, Washington, the fourth child of Neil and Sylvia (Nieveen) Slotemaker. Mel attended first grade at Lynden Grade School, the first in the family to attend public school. The family then moved to Clearbrook and Mel attended Sumas Grade School and graduated from Nooksack Valley High School in 1957. He then attended Skagit Junior College in Mt. Vernon. In January of 1961, Mel married Judy Fletcher at Broadway Presbyterian Church in Bellingham, Washington. Judy was born in Seattle on December 18, 1941, the first child of Charles and Ruth (Gill) Fletcher. Mel and Judy met when Mel was a senior in high school and NVHS went to Friday Harbor for a basketball game. His brother Ivan, who had dinner at the Fletcher home, introduced them at the gym before the game, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Mel and Judy had three children:
Jeffrey Scott Slotemaker, born April 18, 1962 in San Angelo, Texas. Sheryl Ann Slotemaker, born September 15, 1964 at James Connally Air Force Base, Waco, Texas. Michael Wade Slotemaker, born December 18, 1967 in Bellingham, Washington. Mel and Judy have managed their rural water system since they built their home on the East Pole Road in 1967. As this update is being written, they are still engaged in this community service endeavor. They anticipate full retirement within the next couple of years. In the meantime, they enjoy spending as much time as possible with their grandchildren. Email:melslotemaker@aol.com |
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IVAN LEE SLOTEMAKER Ivan Slotemaker was born November 14, 1940 in the family home on 8th Street in Lynden, Washington, the fifth child of Neil and Sylvia (Nieveen) Slotemaker. Ivan attended Sumas Grade School and graduated from Nooksack Valley High School in 1958. He worked his way through college, attending Western Washington College of Education in Bellingham, Washington and graduating from the University of Washington in Seattle in1964, with a degree in Economics. Immediately after graduating from the university, Ivan enlisted in the U. S. Army Reserve program, which called for six months of active duty time followed by six years in the Reserves. He spent his active duty time (following Basic Training) at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Ivan settled in the San Francisco area, where he worked first for the U.S. government as a bank auditor for several years. For a while he owned his own accounting business and later he worked for a Marin County welfare agency. Ivan never married. In 1990, he moved back to Whatcom County on a disability pension. He died April 8, 1996 in Bellingham, Washington and is buried in Monumenta Cemetery in Lynden. |
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GERALD ROY ("Mooch") SLOTEMAKER Gerry "Mooch" Slotemaker was born October 26, 1943 in Bellingham, Washington, the sixth child of Neil and Sylvia (Nieveen) Slotemaker. He was the only one of their six children to be born in a hospital. Gerry, who is still known as "Mooch" within the family, attended Sumas Grade School and Nooksack Valley High School before moving to Lynden where he graduated from Lynden High School in 1961.
Gerry’s college career at Western Washington State College in Bellingham, Washington was interrupted by a four-year stint in the U. S. Air Force, during which time he was stationed in Texas, Germany, and Omaha, Nebraska. After finishing his Air Force time, Gerry graduated from WWSC in 1970 with a degree in Political Science. He returned to Omaha shortly after graduating from college, and on July 16, 1971 he married Jane Alice Whitcher at Temple Baptist Church in Omaha. Jane was born May 9, 1946 in Portland, Oregon, the first child of Page and Ruth (Graf) Whitcher. Gerry and Jane have remained in Omaha, where they raised their children: James Cornelius ("Neil") Slotemaker, born April 23, 1976 in Omaha, Nebraska. Daniel Page ("Danny") Slotemaker, born September 23, 1982 in Omaha, Nebraska. Gerry is a U. S. Postal Service mail carrier. Email:janeslote@juno.com |
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Next Generation
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SCOTT HOWARD BARRY
He graduated from Snohomish High School in 1968, and
served with the United States Army in Viet Nam. Scott married: 1. Judith Lynn Blake on May 28, 1977 in Kirkland, Washington. Judy was born September 30, 1944 in Renton, Washington, the second child of Delmar and Doris (Rose) Blake. 2. Barbara Ann Heil on July 18, 1992 in Seattle, Washington. Barbara was born August 7, 1953 in Winner, South Dakota, the third child of Jack and Marion (Van Goor) Heil. Scott and Barbara have one child together; Barbara’s older daughter is Scott’s stepdaughter. Olivia Claire Heil Barry, born February 1, 1994 in Port Townsend, Washington. Heather Celeste Heil Graham, born May 2, 1983 in Seattle, Washington. Scott lives in Woodinville, Washington, and is a journalist and editor with the Seattle Times. Email:sbarry@seattletimes.com |
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LINDA JO BARRY Linda Barry was born May 31, 1952 in Bellingham, Washington, the second child of Les and Arlene (Slotemaker) Barry. She graduated from Snohomish High School in 1970 and attended Seattle University and the University of Washington.
Linda married George Clinton Bourn on May 3, 1980 at her mother’s home in Lakewood, Washington. George was born September 4, 1951 in Roswell, New Mexico, the first child of Thomas and Christine (Tate) Bourn. George and Linda have no children; George has two children from a previous marriage: Kelly Thomas Bourn Jennifer Christine Bourn (Sadler) Linda is an accountant. She and George own a contracting business, L.N.D. Services, which they have operated since 1981. They love to go snowmobiling and also enjoy camping in their RV. Email:glbourn@aol.com |
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DEAN ALAN SLOTEMAKER Dean Slotemaker was born August 11, 1953 in Eugene, Oregon, the first child of Jack and Shirley (Wilder) Slotemaker. He attended Lucille Umbarger Grade School and graduated from Burlington-Edison High School in Burlington, Washington in 1971. He graduated from Central Washington State College in Ellensburg, Washington in 1975.
He took many long trips, the favorites being ones to the redrock zones of Utah where the pleasures of mountain biking reign supreme. By the early 1990s this thing called the Internet began to seem interesting, so Dean became an early adopter of the world of email. Soon an interest in the world of writing webpages was discovered after being part of an on-line soap opera called As the WWWeb Turns. This was the first association with what in the early days of the Internet was a cool thing, that being Cool Site of the Day. "This," Dean writes, "evolved into my first website totally under my own control, called Dialing Doctor Durango. The concept was not my own, it was sort of thrust upon me, and before I had the sense to say no I was being a pseudo doctor to troubled people all over the world. This soon became more chore than fun and what started out with the intention of being humorous was taken seriously by way too many. I pulled the plug on Doctor Durango when two things happened. One, the website was listed on a Munich medical school’s website as being one of the Top Ten medical sites on the Internet. And, two, a woman from the United Kingdom emailed a combo psychological/gynecological problem that was far afield from anything I was interested in helping with. But out of the years I spent as Doctor Durango I acquired numerous interesting contacts from around the world, many of whom I still hear from." In 1998 the opportunity came along to move to Texas, risk-free. It seemed time to do something totally different and Texas is about as different as you can get while staying within the borders of the United States. Dean is now located in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex a few miles west of Six Flags and the Ballpark in Arlington. He has spent his time in Texas doing a variety of things in addition to the search for the elusive charms of this state, all of which can be gleaned by exploring around his durangotexas.com website. email: durango@durangotexas.com |
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JOHN ("JAKE") SLOTEMAKER Jake Slotemaker was born September 26, 1954 in Eugene, Oregon, the second child of Jack and Shirley (Wilder) Slotemaker. Jake attended Lucille Umbarger Grade School and graduated from Burlington-Edison High School in Burlington, Washington in 1972. He graduated from Skagit Valley College in Mount Vernon, Washington in 1974. Jake married Cindy Mae Heynsten on April 18, 1975 in Burlington. Cindy was born July 9, 1955 in Burlington, Washington, the first child of Einar and Doris (White) Heynsten. Jake and Cindy have two children: Jason Einar Slotemaker, born June 17, 1979 in Sedro Woolley, Washington. Jason currently attends Western Washington University in Bellingham and will graduate in June 2002. Joseph John ("Joey") Slotemaker, born November 10, 1981 in Sedro Woolley, Washington. Joey currently attends Skagit Valley College and is a pitcher on the SVC baseball team. Jake and Cindy were divorced in 1996. On August 14, 1999, Jake married Jill (Youngren) Dahlstedt at the old Slotemaker house at 1027 Washington Avenue in Burlington, Washington, where Jake had lived with his two boys prior to meeting Jill. Jake is a Real Estate Agent at Windermere/Skagit Valley in Mount Vernon, Washington. Email: jnmnslot@windermere.com |
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NANCY JEAN SLOTEMAKER Nancy Slotemaker was born September 15, 1956 in Mount Vernon, Washington, the third child of Jack and Shirley (Wilder) Slotemaker. Nancy attended Lucille Umbarger Grade School and graduated from Burlington-Edison High School in Burlington, Washington in 1974. She attended Skagit Valley College in Mount Vernon, Washington and Western Washington University in Bellingham. Nancy "pedals parcels" for United Parcel Company (UPS). She started with UPS in 1987 as a part-timer and within two and a half years she left the part-time ranks ("which I liked, "lots of time to play") to drive package car full time ("no time to play now except on weekends"). For the past 15 years, Nancy has lived with Loretta Spencer. "She too works for UPS for 17 years and is one of the top seniority people in our center. Lots of people do not survive our job!" On their vacations, Nancy and Loretta enjoy camping with friends and family, and they really enjoy meeting new people as they travel. Email:otterpengu@aol.com |
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JACKIE MARIE SLOTEMAKER Jackie Slotemaker was born February 12, 1961 in Burlington, Washington, the fourth child of Jack and Shirley (Wilder) Slotemaker. Jackie attended Lucille Umbarger Grade School and graduated from Burlington-Edison High School in Burlington, Washington in 1979.
On November 22, 1980 Jackie married Jack Edward Weston at Township Church of Christ in Sedro Woolley, Washington. Jack was born June 5, 1961 in Everett, Washington. Jackie and Jack have two children: Christopher and Jeremy. Both are very good at playing baseball. The two brothers will pretty much play any and all sports, including even things like bowling and golf. Christopher and Jeremy, aka CJ and JR, have also done some mountain climbing. This activity was not as easily spectated as some of their sporting activities, but can be viewed here. Christopher Jay Weston, born April 4, 1982 in Sedro
Woolley, Washington.
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MICHELE LYN SLOTEMAKER Michele Slotemaker was born April 13, 1970 in Sedro Woolley, Washington, the fifth child of Jack and Shirley (Wilder) Slotemaker. Michele attended Lucille Umbarger Grade School and graduated from Burlington-Edison High School in 1988. She graduated from the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington in 1992, and from the University of Washington School of Law in Seattle, Washington in 1998. She is an Assistant City Attorney with the Criminal Division of the City of Seattle Law Department. Michele’s significant other is Kristin Pugh. Kristin was born July 2, 1971 and graduated from Kalamazoo College in 1993 and from Washington University School of Social Work in 1996. She is a Victim Advocate in the Seattle City Attorney’s Domestic Violence Unit. Outside of work, Michele and Kristin spend a lot of time with friends and love to entertain, especially at their new home! They really enjoy babysitting for friends who have kids. Michele says, It is like being a grandparent, you get to play and wind them up and them send them home!!" For the past couple of years, Michele has been a volunteer tutor for kids who live in public housing. Kristin recently started as a tutor as well. They each tutor one night a week, helping kids get better at math and reading, as well as providing homework assistance. Michele also teaches the LSAT for prospective law students at a company called The Princeton Review. Email:Michele.Slotemaker@ci.seattle.wa.us |
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DANIEL RAY ("DAN") HERSHBERGER Dan Hershberger was born July 22, 1960 in Grand Forks, North Dakota, the first child of Hank and Ruth (Slotemaker) Hershberger. Dan’s parents were missionaries in Australia with Wycliffe Bible Translators and Dan grew up in North Queensland, Australia. He attended Bloomfield River State School and graduated from Ukarumpa High School. He graduated from Prairie Bible Institute in Three Hills, Alberta, Canada and from Pensacola Christian College in Pensacola, Florida (1989). Dan married Teresa Annette ("Tabby") Brickhouse on June 20, 1987 in Chesapeake, Virginia. Tabby was born April 25, 1964, the first child of Coley and Marianne (Palos) Brickhouse. Dan and Tabby have three children: Taylor Dain Hershberger, born August 30, 1989 in Pensacola, Florida. Trenton Daniel Hershberger, born February 18, 1995 in Pensacola, Florida. Victoria Joy ("Tori") Hershberger, born July 21, 2001 in McDavid, Florida. Dan and Tabby are the publishers of parenting and senior citizen magazines. They enjoy living in sunny Florida on thirty acres that includes ponds for fishing. Dan writes, "Both Tabby and I are excited about the great family (immediate and extended) that God has given us. We have jobs we both enjoy, a wonderful place to live in a great country and much to look forward to. We have been truly blessed." Email:gcparentsenior@cs.com |
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CAROL SUE HERSHBERGER Carol Hershberger was born on September 12, 1962 in Cooktown, Queensland, Australia, the second child of Hank and Ruth (Slotemaker) Hershberger. Carol’s parents were living in a very isolated village before she was born. They had to travel to Cooktown, the shire seat, where there was a small hospital. They went there 3 months before Ruth’s due date. "All that trouble," Carol writes, "for one tiny, scrawny baby…" Carol grew up in Bloomfield on the Bloomfield River. It is a beautiful, lush area in the middle of the tropical rainforests of north Queensland. She attended the Bloomfield River State School for most of her grade school years. At that time, it was a 2-room school, one room for grades 1, 2 and 3, and the other for grades 4 through 7. When she was 11, they returned to the States for furlough, so for sixth grade she went to Berlin Elementary School in Berlin, Ohio. There was no high school in Bloomfield, so any further education they wanted had to be at a boarding school. Carol and her brothers attended Ukarumpa High School in Papua New Guinea (a country directly to the north of Australia). This is a mission school that has some components of the American curriculum. Carol was there for grades 7 through 11. They went home to Bloomfield twice a year for vacation periods. "High school was a fun time for me. Ukarumpa is large for an expatriate school. We had 25 to 30 students in each class, and had very good teachers. I was able to take piano and flute lessons, sing in the choir and play in the band. There was also a very good drama department in the school; I didn’t perform in any plays, but was able to sing with the choirs in some of the drama/musical productions. I made a lot of friends at Ukarumpa, and a few of these are still quite close to me today." They came back to the States for Carol’s senior year of high school, so she graduated from Hiland High School in Berlin, Ohio in 1980. "That was a good year, too, in many ways. It got me into the American culture; I was able to play for awhile on the volleyball team, and so experienced a much more competitive high school sports scene than what I had known. I learned to drive through the school’s driver’s ed. program (and Mom and Dad let me be the driver when we needed to go somewhere!!). One of my courses was civics, so I learned about our American system of government and got to read the Constitution and some of the great presidential speeches during the past 200 years. I think that civics course did the most to make me feel like I was an American at that point in time." After high school, Carol attended Prairie Bible College in Three Hills, Alberta, Canada, for 4 years, majoring in Bible and minoring in Christian Education. She graduated with a Bachelor of Religious Education and a certificate from the Evangelical Teacher’s Training Association in 1984. "While I was at Prairie, I felt God tugging at me to make this Word that I was studying available to others, so they, too, could read it and study it. After a number of years, I started applying with Wycliffe Bible Translators, and was accepted in 1988. "I was assigned to Burkina Faso in West Africa, and had to learn French before arriving in the country. So off I went to France in 1989 to learn French in a University in a town called Besancon, near the Swiss border. This was a great time for me—there were other Wycliffe people there, who showed me around; my home at first was a room in the home of a wonderful French family. I made some very good Wycliffe friends and French friends, many of whom I still keep in contact with. "One other thing made it very nice—I met John there. We only overlapped a few months, as he didn’t arrive until I had been there a whole year already, and nothing happened during those months, except that I fell in love with him!" "In March 1999, I flew to Ouagadougou (WagaDOOgoo), the capital of Burkina Faso. I worked in the office for the first year, getting myself oriented to the lifestyle, getting to know my colleagues, etc. "John had also been assigned to Burkina, so he came down after I had been there a year. And that’s when things happened. After he was there only 2 weeks, all the new arrivals went to another town for an orientation course, and the two of us wrote letters the whole time we were apart. It wasn’t long after his return to Ouga that we were engaged. "After a lot of consultation with our director, we decided to take an early furlough to get married at home. So, on March 8th, 1993, John and I were married in my home church, Countryside Chapel, in Baltic, Ohio." John Joseph Berthelette was born November 30, 1963 in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, the fifth child of Alphonse and Jeannette (Pauliot) Berthelette. John grew up in Uxbridge, a small town in south-central Massachusetts, close to Rhode Island. "His father was an electrician, and they also had a small farm, 45 acres or so. One of his childhood memories is selling sweet corn along the side of the road. His father often took his sons with him on jobs, so John learned a little of the electrical trade. After graduating from Uxbridge High School, he went to Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he made some very good friends, most of whom still actively follow each other’s lives. He got a job as a carpenter after college, learning both house construction and furniture finishing. These skills have sure come in handy in Africa, as John has had to wire our home for a solar system, and he’s made a lot of our furniture for our home in the village. "John and I worked in Burkina Faso until 1998, when we were reassigned to Benin, one of the countries to the south of Burkina. We moved there in 1999, to a village called Materi, which is just over the border with Burkina. We live with the Byaliba people, and are gradually learning their language. We hope to be able to start translating the Scriptures this year (2002). "Our ‘house’ is actually a number of small buildings, each equivalent to a separate room in a western-style house. They are made of mud, with thatch roofs. Since Materi doesn’t have reliable electricity yet, we have our solar system to be able to use the computers during the day, and have a fan and lights at night. I have a kerosene fridge and a gas stove. "I’m very thankful for my home, and I like it. All of you are welcome to come visit any time…." Carol and John are serving on the mission field in the Republic of Benin, West Africa. They are accessible, on an intermittent basis, by email, and love hearing from folks and family at home in the States.
Tanguieta
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STEVEN DEAN ("STEVE") HERSHBERGER Steve Hershberger was born on June 25, 1965 in Albury, New South Wales, Australia, the third child of Hank and Ruth (Slotemaker) Hershberger. Steve’s parents were missionaries in Australia with Wycliffe Bible Translators and Steve grew up in North Queensland, Australia. He attended Bloomfield River State School and graduated from Ukarumpa High School in Papua New Guinea. Steve served in the U. S. Army from 1984-87 and has settled in Sugarcreek, Ohio where he is an electrician. Email:wantokaus@aol.com |
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JEFFREY SCOTT ("JEFF") SLOTEMAKER Jeff Slotemaker was born on April 18, 1962 in San Angelo, Texas, the first child of Mel and Judy (Fletcher) Slotemaker. His father was stationed at Goodfellow Air Force Base at the time. Jeff attended Fisher Elementary School, Lynden Grade School, Bellingham Christian School (7th and 8th grade), and graduated from Lynden High School in 1980. He attended Western Baptist College in Salem, Oregon. Jeff began his Darigold career in Lynden and moved to Sunnyside, Washington when a new powdered milk plant was built there in 1991. Jeff married Ellaina Joy Sloan on April 17, 1986 in Bellingham, Washington. Ellaina was born February 6, 1967 in Bellingham, Washington, the fourth child of Needham and Lynn (Knowles) Sloan. Jeff and Ellaina have two children: Kevin Andrew Slotemaker, born November 23, 1986 in Bellingham, Washington. David Lance Slotemaker, born October 25, 1993 in Sunnyside, Washington. Jeff and Ellaina were divorced in 1995. Jeff married Pamala ("Pam") Corene (Folsom) Kudijaroff on December 23, 1995 in Bellingham, Washington. Pam was born June 29, 1954 in Bellingham, Washington. She is a second twin, the fourth child of _________ and Evelyne (Davis)_______________. Jeff and Pam have one child: Rebecca Laura Kudijaroff Slotemaker, born February 26, 1985 in Bellingham, Washington. Pam has two children from her first marriage: Jennifer Grace ("Jenny") Kudijaroff, born February 17, 1978 in Seattle, Washington.
Randall James ("Randy") Kudijaroff, born March 25, 1981 in Bellingham, Washington. Email:jeff-pam@bentonrea.com |
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SHERYL ANN SLOTEMAKER Sheryl Slotemaker was born on September 15, 1964 at James Connally Air Force Base, Waco, Texas, the second child of Mel and Judy (Fletcher) Slotemaker. The family moved to Whatcom County, Washington the following January when her father’s Air Force enlistment was up. Sheryl attended Fisher Elementary School and Lynden Grade School and graduated from Lynden High School in 1982. She attended Western Baptist College in Salem, Oregon; Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington, and graduated from Bellingham Technical College with a degree in Paralegal Services in 1990. On June 16, 1984, Sheryl married William Howard ("Bill") Cartwright at Nooksack Valley Baptist Church in Everson, Washington. Bill was born April 10, 1964 in Bellingham, Washington, the fifth child of Andrew and Muriel (Horntvedt) Cartwright. Sheryl and Bill both attended Lynden public schools and graduated together in 1982. They began dating in their senior year of high school. Sheryl is a Victim Advocate with the City of Bellingham (Washington). Bill is a Ford mechanic with Frontier Ford in Anacortes, Washington. Sheryl’s hobbies include knitting, reading, music and water-skiing. Some of her other interests include spending time with friends and family, going for walks and enjoying life in Whatcom County. Her goal in life is to know that she has helped others and that she has made a positive difference in lives that she touches, whether at home or in her work. [Compiler’s note: Sheryl has knit scores, if not hundreds, of lovely afghans for friends and family, including one for each niece and nephew when they turn 18.] She frequently visits her 96-year-old great-aunt Agnes (Slotemaker) Estie to glean stories from days long gone by. She also encouraged her grandmother (Sylvia Slotemaker) to record memories in a "legacy" book. Email:billandsheryl@email.msn.com |
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MICHAEL WADE ("MIKE") SLOTEMAKER Mike Slotemaker was born December 18, 1967 in Bellingham, Washington, the third child of Mel and Judy (Fletcher) Slotemaker. Mike attended Bellingham Christian School and graduated from Lynden High School in 1985. He attended Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington. Mike married Karen Renee Sterk on July 1, 1989 at Nooksack Valley Baptist Church in Everson. Karen was born January 21, 1966 in Bellingham, Washington, the fourth child of Henry and Betty (Van Beek) Sterk. Mike and Karen met while working at Dairy Queen in Lynden. After three and a half years of dating, they were married in 1989. In 1990, they decided to stake out on their own and see what the world had to offer. Working for MCI WorldCom for over 9 years, they transferred a lot and lived in Springfield, Missouri; Sioux City, Iowa; Greeley, Colorado; Phoenix, Arizona; Austin, Texas; Memphis, Tennessee, and Boise, Idaho. Mike left MCI WorldCom in 2000 to join a startup internet company. ("Hey," Mike writes, "it was popular at the time!") The company crashed during the Internet bust and Mike joined CapitalOne. After a life-changing experience in August, 2001, he started a career as a professional firefighter/medic with the Eagle (Idaho) Fire Department. Mike and Karen have three children: Quincy Andrew Slotemaker, born August 4, 1992 in Sioux City, Iowa. Arianna Rae Slotemaker, born October 10, 1993 in Greeley, Colorado. Calvin James Slotemaker, born May 2, 1996 in Round Rock, Texas. Email:Slotemaker@yahoo.com |
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JAMES CORNELIUS ("NEIL") SLOTEMAKER
Neil attended Miller Park and Sherman Elementary Schools, McMillan Junior High School, and graduated from (Omaha) North School in 1994. He married Maria Jeannette Crist on February 7, 1998 in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. Maria was born September 9, 1978 in Kansas City, Missouri and is the first child of Norman and Vicki (Todd) Crist. Neil and Maria met in Lawrence, Kansas in 1997. Neil’s sister (Amy) and Maria were friends at the University of Kansas. Amy invited Maria to a get-together at her house and this is where the two were introduced. And as they say…."the rest is history." Neil and Maria have two children: Alexit Kay Slotemaker, born March 24, 1998 in Mission City, Kansas. Kelson James Slotemaker, born July 21, 2000 in Kansas City, Kansas. Neil works in home improvement and construction. He and Maria are active in their church with music and youth ministries. Email:JCSlotemaker@Juno.com |
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DANIEL PAGE ("DANNY") SLOTEMAKER Danny Slotemaker was born September 23, 1982 in Omaha, Nebraska, the third child of Gerry and Jane (Whitcher) Slotemaker. He attended Miller Park and Ashland Park Elementary Schools, McMillan Junior High School, and (Omaha) North High School. Danny currently works as a warehouseman and lives with his parents in Omaha. |
Next Generation
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JASON EINAR SLOTEMAKER Jason Slotemaker was born on Father’s Day, June 17, 1979 in Sedro Woolley, Washington, the first child of Jake and Cindy (Heynsten) Slotemaker.
Jason grew up in Burlington, Washington, and graduated from Burlington-Edison High School in 1997. He is currently attending Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington, and expects to graduate in June 2002 with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance. Jason’s parents have divorced and each has re-married. Cindy is now married to Asher Cohen, who has two children from his previous marriage, Aaron and Ada. Jason has long admired Asher's skills as a computer whiz. Jason has put himself through school while working full time and has even managed to buy a house. While not yet out of his early 20s. Jason writes: "Currently I enjoy a hectic lifestyle of school and work. I have worked in restaurants for almost 7 years now and continue to do so. I love the interaction with people that restaurant work allows. There’s very, very few days when I don’t look forward to going to work—I encourage everyone to find a job they like. "After graduation, I’m not sure what I want to do. I think eventually I might move out of Washington, perhaps to California where the weather is a bit better. I like the sun! "One goal I have is to travel all-around the world, particularly the Caribbean, Mexico, the South Pacific, Australia and Europe." note from the editor:
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JOSEPH JOHN ("JOEY") SLOTEMAKER Joey Slotemaker was born November 10, 1981 in Sedro Woolley, Washington, the second child of Jake and Cindy (Heynsten) Slotemaker. Joey grew up in Burlington, Washington and graduated from Burlington-Edison High School in 2000. He is currently attending Skagit Valley College in Mount Vernon, Washington. He is a starting pitcher on the college’s baseball team, the Cardinals. Joey enjoys playing baseball and is currently deciding on transferring to a four-year university where he can continue to do so. In his leisure time, Joey spends a lot of time outside fishing, either in the Skagit or Samish Rivers. Joey has climbed up Mount Baker and has ice-climbed Sauk Mountain among his hiking adventures. Joey has an older brother, Jason. Joey's mother, Cindy, is married to Asher Cohen who Joey says is "a great step-dad. He's real smart and helps with hard subjects, like English literature...". With Asher, Joey also acquired a step brother and sister, Aaron and Ada. Joey is now 20, living on his own, and still has the same easy going likeable personality he has always had. He takes after his favorite uncle in that regard. Email:JoeySlotemaker@hotmail.com |
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In early November of 1984, Sylvia had a stroke that left her
paralyzed on the left side. She lived with Mel and Judy for several
months before returning to her mobile home to try living on her own
again. Ruth returned from the mission field and stayed with her mother
for a brief period. During this time it became increasingly obvious that
Sylvia could not stay in her own home alone.
