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KOKENGE FAMILY REUNION

 April 14, 2001        Alton, Iowa

The Kokenge Family Reunion took place on Saturday, April 14, 2001, in Alton, Iowa.  Verna (Klein) Bunkers, Mary (McCarthy) Schomer, and Suzanne Bunkers hosted the gathering.  Approximately 80 descendants from various branches of the family dined together, got to know one another, exchanged family stories, looked at family photographs and ancestral records, and had fun!  Later in the day, we visited the old Kokenge farm east of Alton and went to the cemeteries where Kokenge ancestors are buried. (Click on "Back" and then on "Kokenge Farm" to see photographs of this visit.)  On Easter Sunday morning, several cousins attended Mass together at St. Mary's Church in Alton.

VISIT FROM OUR GERMAN COUSINS: Two of our Kokenge cousins from Germany, Barbara Kokenge Pasternak and her son Nils, arrived in Minneapolis on April 7, 2001, to the U.S. to meet some of their American cousins. During the week that followed, they visited New Vienna and Mount Carmel, and Carroll, Iowa, before arriving in Alton for the family reunion on April 14, 2001. If you'd like to contact Barbara Kokenge Pasternak, you can send her an e-mail message at this address:  H.u.B.Pasternak@t-online.de   

If you have photographs and/or stories that you'd like to have me post on this page, please send them to me via e-mail: suzanne.bunkers@mnsu.edu  

 

The youngest (and only surviving) child of the Henry Kokenge family, Maureen Kokenge Van Bergen, greets Larry Kokenge (Vince's son), as Pat McCarthy Martin and Verna Klein Bunkers look on. Maureen Kokenge Van Bergen and Vince Kokenge (son of Joseph and Kate Kokenge) get re-acquainted.

Several cousins (among them John and Shirley Hiddleston, Martha and Mary Ann Kokenge, Mary McCarthy Schomer, Roberta and Gordon Kokenge) enjoy the fine luncheon served at the O.K. Cafe. Nils Pasternak enjoys a chat with his Kokenge cousins from Mount Carmel/Carroll, Iowa. They're probably comparing notes on who came the longest distance for the Kokenge Family Reunion. 

Cecelia KokengeVonnahme, her daughterKathy Gorman (left), Jerry Kokenge and his mother, Florence Steffes Kokenge (right), prepare to sign the guest book.  All are descendants of Anton Kokenge, the older brother of Henry Kokenge. Anton and his family settled at Mount Carmel (near Carroll), Iowa. They came all the way to Alton to meet the "Henry Kokenge" cousins. Gene and Martie Ebner came from Sioux City to share photos and genealogical information with Ray and Eunice Ebner of Olivia, MN, and Barbara Kokenge Pasternak of Meschede, Germany.  The Ebners are also descended from the Anton Kokenge line and came to the reunion to meet the "Henry" cousins.

Kokenge cousins with Maureen Kokenge Van Bergen: Kay McCarthy Reimers, Carol McCarthy Holles, Mary McCarthy Shomer, Bev Van Bergen, Maureen Van Bergen, Lana Van Bergen, Pat McCarthy Martin, Darlene Van Bergen, Clarice Klein Roder, Suzanne Bunkers, Verna Klein Bunkers. Three cousins (Suzy Bunkers, Bev Van Bergen, Mary McCarthy Schomer), who were once childhood playmates, had a chance to re-connect and reminisce about the good old days they spent on the St. Joseph Grade School playground in Granville, Iowa.

Kokenge cousins gather for Easter Sunday Mass at St. Mary's Church in Alton, Iowa. Front: Mary and Kristina Schomer, Mary Ann and Martha Kokenge, Nils Pasternak, Jerel Schomer, Barbara Pasternak.  Back: Suzy, Rachel, Verna and Dale Bunkers. The Kokenge Family Reunion cake--just before it was cut and devoured by 80 hungry cousins!  It was gone by the end of the afternoon.  It was very tasty, too.