Norman Wenk Line

Hieber

   Norman was born on January 18th, 1918, in Freedom Township, Washtenaw County, Michigan, the youngest of six children. He graduated from Chelsea High in 1935, where he played baseball and football.
   Norman married Lorena Hieber Aug 29, 1942. The Hieber name was originally found in the kingdom of Bavaria, and is of two possible origins. Firstly, the name means "son of Hieber or Hildibert," both Germanic personal names derived from the Old High German "hiltja," meaning "battle." Alternatively, the name may be derived from the Middle High German word "huober," meaning "owner of a patch of farmland." The term "Hube" was used to denote a 40-acre hide of farmland. In this case, it is likely that the original bearer of this name was someone who owned such a farm. The coat of arms features a shield divided quarterly: 1st and 4th, black with a gold griffin holding a silver sword, 2nd and 3rd, silver with a blue fess.
   Lorena was born 11/13/1920 in Freedom Township, Washtenaw County, Michigan. Lorena graduated Saline High in 1938.
   Norman graduated Cleary College in Ypsilanti in 1937 and entered the U.S. Army February of 1942. He was sent to Camp Wallace, Texas for basic training, then to Ft. Crockett in the Coast Artillary at Galveston Texas. Lorena joined him in November 1942 and lived there till 1944 then he moved to Fort Jackson, South Carolina in the field artillery and served through 1946.
   We lived on Devine Street with a couple that rented out rooms. We joined Gilbert and Gene Brown in sharing an apartment. (Norm had met Gene at Fort Jackson). Coming home February, 1946.
   To this marriage were born 5 children while living at 2681 Fletcher Road in Chelsea, MI:

CHILDREN OF NORMAN WENK AND LORENA HIEBER

Barbara J. Wenk born August 17, 1945. She married David Pruess October 22, 1977. He is an engineer at the DaimlerChrysler Proving Grounds in Chelsea. He was born February 25, 1951 in the Marquette MI. Barbara attended Chelsea Schools and graduated in 1963. She graduated from Capital University in Columbus Ohio 1967 and Michigan State University in 1969 with a masters, teaching biology at Chelsea High School ever since. David graduated from Michigan Technological University. Their daughter Sarah Jean was born May 13, 1980. Sarah graduated from Chelsea High in 1998, then Albion College in 2002, playing softball the four years she attended—then to University of Denver for a Masters of Management in 2003. She worked for Chicago State University as NCAA Compliance Coordinator and Senior Women's Administrator in the Athletic Department. In Jan 06 she begins as Director of Compliance in the Athletic Department for George Mason University in Fairfax, VA.

Marilyn Lorena Wenk born August 24, 1947. She married Donald Hinderer August 24, 1968 in Chelsea. He was born 7/10/1947 died 11/12/1996 and is buried at Zion Cemetery near Rogers Corners. Both Marilyn & Donald graduated in 1965 from Chelsea Schools and Donald from Michigan State University in 1969 and Marilyn from MSU in 1970. She & Donald raised their three children in Caro, Michigan, while Donald worked for Ralston Purina. Currently Marilyn works in a doctor's office there. Their children: Steven Frederick b 11/6/1972. He graduated from Ferris State University and works for PETS (Plastic Engineering Technical Service.) He married Krista Jahr Sept 17, 2005. She manages a Pier One Store and they live in Rochester MI. Jeffrey Norman b 3/2/1977 graduated from Michigan State University and works for Sarnamotive Blue Water, Inc. He married Kathryn McGee 8/17/2002. She is also from Caro. She graduated from med school at Michigan State in 2005 and she is completing her residency in Mt. Clemons, MI where she & Jeff live. Susan Marie b 5/29/1981 graduated from Eastern Michigan University as a nurse in 2003 and works at Saginaw Covenant Hospital in cardiac care.

Anita Marie Wenk b 11/24/1949 in Saline, MI. Graduated from Chelsea High School in 1967. She married John Mark (Jack) Himes (b 3/28/1949 in Dayton, Ohio) on 5/30/1970 in Chelsea, MI. Both Anita & Jack graduated from Capital University in 1971. Jack was commissioned into the US Marine Corp at graduation, and retired as a Colonel in 1996. During Jack's time on active duty they moved over 20 times throughout the United States and to Europe. Anita taught science in several places during that time and while Jack attended Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary in Columbia, South Carolina. Jack was ordained in June 2001 and is now serving as the Pastor of St. Michael Lutheran Church in Virginia Beach, VA. They have two children: John Mark Himes, Jr. b December 28, 1970 in Columbus, Ohio. Graduated from North Stafford High School, Stafford VA where he meet his future wife Melissa Noel Garraway (b 12/29/1971 in Washington, D.C.) He graduated from North Carolina State University in 1993 and was commissioned a 2nd Lt in the US Marine Corps, served until 1999, and attained the rank of Captain. He married Missy on October 9, 1993 in Stafford, VA. Missy is a 1993 graduate of The College of William and Mary and now works as a human resource manager for IBM. John is the manager of a manufacturing plant for Siemens, International in Juarez, Mexico. They now live in El Paso, TX. They have two children: 1. Katherine Paige b 10/22/1998 in Annapolis, MD; 2. John Mark, III b 7/8/2002 in Greeneville, SC. Timothy Michael Himes b 2/19/1973 in Oceanside, California. Tim graduated from Yucca Valley High School, Yucca Valley, CA in 1991 and enlisted in the US Marine Corps in 1992, serving for four years. Tim then returned to Appalachian State University and graduated in 1999. Married Kelley Dull 9/5/1998; divorced in 1999. After college graduation, Tim returned to active duty in the Marine Corps, was commissioned, served five years, and attained the rank of Captain. Married Linda Nicole Ferrell (b 5/11/1972 in Seattle, Washington) on 8/10/2002 in Virginia Beach, VA. Linda also served as a Marine Corp officer, attaining the rank of Major before getting out in 2005. They now live in Manitou Springs, CO where Tim worked as a manager for Suburban Propane in Colorado Springs, CO; Linda works for a local real estate company & now Tim works as a manager for rental properties in the same company.

Daniel Norman b 4/23/1952. He married Barbara J. Michel b 1/2/1951 in Oakland California. They married overlooking Boulder, Colorado on September 24, 1977. Barb is a Montessori teacher graduating from University of Colorado & Colorado State University. Dan graduated from Chelsea schools and Michigan State University in Landscape Architecture in 1975. He has worked as a Landscape Architect at the Denver Service Center, Yellowstone National Park, Prince Willliam Nation Park Va, & was Superintendent for 16 years at Mt Rushmore. He now manages Denver Service Center for the National Park Service and travels frequently to Washington D.C. The family lives in Morrison, CO. Children: Laura Jeane b 3/1/1981 Bozeman, Montana. Laura graduated from high school in Rapid City, SD and Coe College in Iowa in 2003. She is pursuing a Masters Degree studying archeology in Belgium. She has worked a dig in The Netherlands & in South Dakato. She will be married in June of 06. Megan Danielle b 2/22/1984 Denver, CO. Megan is studying nursing at Northern Colorado University after graduating from high school in Rapid City, SD. Thomas George Robert 2/29/1988 b Rapid City, South Dakota is attending high school in Morrison, CO where he is on the golf team.    The family continues to have a home in Rapid City, South Dakota and enjoys spending weekends & summers there. We visited Dan once when he lived with a friend on a rock. We stayed in a little room by a running stream.

Robert Martin b 9/10/1958 in Ann Arbor, MI. He was married 8/17/1991 in McLean, VA (Washington D. C. area) to Kimberly J. Blessing of New Jersey. She was born 5/19/1961 . Rob graduated from Chelsea High School in 1976 and Michigan State University in 1981. Rob works for Marriott International and they are living in Mc Lean, Virginia, working for the Mariott Corporation. Children: Hayley Jane b 1/2/1996 McLean, VA. Linsey Kate b 10/19/1999 McLean, VA.

Norm and Lorena on their wedding day.

   Norman and Lorena enjoyed living in the home that Norm was born in—having been destroyed by a tornado in June 1917, but rebuilt when Norm was born the following January. Norman and Lorena managed to put all five children through college—once having three in college at the same time.
   They lived at 2681 Fletcher Road, Chelsea, most of their married life, keeping a beautiful yard and huge vegetable and flower garden. Norm enjoyed his lawn, flowers, garden with all varieties of fruit trees, berries etc. He enjoyed making home made grape wine—he had 6-8 antique tractors and some of these the fellows (Dan and David) would use for tractor pulling contests at Chelsea Fairs. He became an avid beer can collector and collected everything connected with beer. He had basement walls covered with shelves of beer cans & beer paraphernalia. Norman and Lorena enjoyed going to the beer can conventions in various states—meeting many people with his same interests and we still see a few members of the Stroh Chapter of which he is a honorary member.
   Norm co-owned City Body Shop in Depot Town in Ypsilanti, MI until retirement. Lorena was a stay at home mom, until later working for Food Services in the Chelsea School District until retirement. They are life-long, active members of Zion Lutheran Church in Rogers Corners.
   They had special parties for our 25th, 40th and 50th wedding anniversaries. On our 60th we treated the family at Frankenmuth—famous for its chicken dinners—with our names on the billboard the day after our grandson Jeff was married.
   Norm and Lorena visited Anita and Jack in nearly every station he was assigned to—even Belgium—then toured the nearby areas, Germany, Italy, and Holland during a wonderful time of the year—tulip time. One enjoyable trip was to Twenty Nine Palms California, on the edge of the desert—HOT! Other trips were to Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Hawaii, Florida visiting friends. We also visited other family members at their homes for vacations and the holidays.
   Other enjoyable trips were a trip to Germany with friends from Church—Manzels, Hinderers, sponsored by Farm Bureau. We met one couple (Don Visasa and Kelly Sperles) from Wisconsin in Germany and are still keeping in touch with each other.
   We were co-owners with Alton and Margaret Horning, Ernie and Edna Wenk, Mutz and Gerry Brueckner of a hunting cabin, The RC Roost, near Hubbard Lake Michigan. Many great weekends and vacations were spent there with our family, as they loved the woods with their friends and ours. Norm went deer hunting almost every year since our marriage until recently. He got several deer—no big trophies! We always planted Rye in August for the deer. Was always a special time when we had a gang of pals 12-14 at times enjoyed Huber Seynia, Mutz's friends to snow mobile in the winger. One year Mutz broke his hip while moving goods up the driveway and slipped off the snow mobile.

The legendary beer can collection of Norman Wenk (racy Swedish cans censored).

   "Our age was telling us to get rid of some of the "clutter" and down size, so we got ready for an auction in 1997. It took months to prepare, as we were both "junkers", even selling off Norman's beer can collection—and finally moved in September of 1997 to our condo in Chelsea, at 107 Willow in the Pierce Lake Condos.
   Now Norm collects Wades of England characters and Lorena enjoys crafts, stamp collecting, sewing- doing alterations and doing not much of anything. Every job looks like a mountain!!!
   "Visited our children living in different areas. Rob in McClean Va, Dan in Rapid City, South Dakota. Anita in Virginia Beach Va, Marilyn in Caro Michigan B.J. stayed in Chelsea.
   "Norm had a stroke July of 2003 and recovered without too many complications. Lorena had a severe Shingles bout fall of 2004 then a stroke 23rd of Dec 2004 Month after returning home from Rehab—So thankful for wonderful kids, coming each time to stay with us—looking after their Dad and me."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

LORENA ALMA HIEBER WENK passed away on Thursday, December 22, 2016, at the Chelsea Retirement Community. Lorena was born on November 13, 1920, in Freedom Township, MI, to Ottillie Meyer Hieber and Robert Hieber. She had two brothers, Elton and Erwin Hieber. On August 29, 1942, Lorena was married to Norman O. Wenk at Bethel Church in Manchester, MI. Living in the Chelsea area they had five children: Barbara (David) Pruess of Venice, Florida, Marilyn (Donald) Hinderer of Caro, MI, Anita (Jack) Himes of Las Cruces, New Mexico, Daniel (Barbara) Wenk of Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, and Robert (Kimberly) Wenk of McLean, Virginia, 11 grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband Norm, her brothers, and son-in-law Donald.    Lorena was a talented homemaker, cooking from the garden, freezing and canning for the winter. She took extreme pleasure in making pretzels and other German specialties. The gardens were also filled with flowers which she loved. She sewed all her life, even making her daughters' wedding dresses. She made counted cross stitch samplers for important events in the lives of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Until recently she still sewed and did alterations for fellow CRC residents.    Lorena was a founding member of the Rodgers Corners Extension group. As a member of Zion Lutheran Church, she served on numerous committees within the church. She also worked for Chelsea Schools in the cafeteria. She was a collector of coins, stamps, and antiques. She was an avid card player who especially enjoyed playing euchre. She really enjoyed traveling with Norm throughout the USA and Europe, visiting friends and family.