Stadem Reunion 2009, Account by Rennard Svanoe, Historian

"STADEM REUNION REUNITES TWO BRANCHES OF IMMIGRANT FAMILY"

A family website on the internet was responsible for reuniting long lost branches of the Sjur and Oline Stadem family, who first immigrated to Northwood, Iowa, and later, in 1993, moved to the Bryant area. Sylvia Yuge of Wilmington, California knew that her great grandmother, Kristine, was born in Iowa of immigrant parents with the last name of Stadem, but failed to locate anyone named Stadem using the usual genealogical resources. According to her husband Tom, Sylvia was on a search for her spiritual, as well as family roots. Sylvia Fjelstad Yuge is the 4th of 10 children of the late James and Helen Fjelstad. James Fjelstad was born in Bryant in 1915.

Sylvia came upon the family website [PLAINVIEWFARM on Yahoo/Geocities, since moved to a new domain: www.plainviewheritage.com] maintained by Ronald & Jerry Ginther, and found that the midwest Stadems were not extinct. After visiting with the Ginthers in Puyallup, WA, Sylvia realized that they had the same great-great grandparents as she did. Sylvia and Tom Yuge first drove to WA where they met Ron Ginther and his mother Pearl Stadem Ginther. Later they drove from [from Pearl's home in Washington] to attend the Stadem reunion held at the farmstead northwest of Bryant, SD. They brought gifts from her extended family members to contribute toward the construction of a new Heritage Center for the farmstead. At Our Redeemer Lutheran Church on Sunday, she heard the Stadem family sing, "What a Friend We Have In Jesus", and "Marching In The Light Of The Lord", and she knew she had found the spiritual roots for which she was looking.

The site of the new Center was cleared, and dedicated during the reunion by Rev. Leroy Stadem, youngest child of Alfred & Bergit Stadem, and current owner of the property along with his wife Elisabeth, and their five children, Peter, Stephen, Timothy, Msary, and Thomas. All of their 18 grand children were in attendance at the reunion.

Artist Stephen Stadem had painted a picture of the former barn, built in 1939. A framed copy [framed with aged barn wood] was prepared for presentation to Joseph B. Sebring, Pres. of the John Morrell Co., Cincinatti, Ohio, as a thank you for the donation which was made to the new Heritage Center in memory of Robert Ginther. Mr. Ginther worked for Morrell's in Sioux Falls during the 1930's and '40's, prior to dying in a crash of a small plane near Baltic, SD in 1947. Ron Ginther, son of Robert, made the presentation.

Former owners of the Stadem farmstead, Tom & Ruth (Stadem) Harrington began the process of fixing up the buildings and yard to hold family reunions, and maintenance continued every year. This year 50 members and friends returned, primarily to reshingle the roof and back porch of the farm house, repaint the original garage which has been called the Heritage House, and beautify the yard by creating two raised flower/rock gardens. The gardens were designed by Mary Stadem Coats. The original garage was used until 1919 as living quarters for Alfred & Bergit Stadem and six of their children while the house was under construction.

The reunion was not all work, those in attendance enjoyed a fireworks display given by Minnesota family members, Frisbee football was so enjoyable it continued through the Friday evening rainstorm; several went swimming in the Bryant pool and at Lake Norden; there were nightly campfires and sing-a-longs accompanied by guitars and a conga like drum. The drum was a djembe played by Fayet Munchikpu, of Yaounde, Camaroon, Africa. Mr. Munchkipu is currently residing with Tom & Judy Stadem, Tea, SD. Other foreign visitors in attendance were Mariano Quintana, and Stadem grandson, Rennard & Grace Svanoe, from Chilhuahua, Mexico. Fish caught in Dry Lake by Steve Stadem of Sioux Falls were offered to the group at the Friday evening meal.

Milestones celebrated at the reunion included the 14th birthday of Jace Stadem, son of Rev. Tim Stadem. Rev. Stadem was also presented with a 150th anniversary commemorative plate from Trinity Lutheran Church of Mobridge, SD. Tim had been a son of the congregation, was ordained there, and now serves at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Fort Collins, CO. Visitor Ann-Marie Bendickson of Minneapolis recalled days from April 1970 when the late Myrtle Stadem Svanoe and husband Bill started in their home what has now become the City Hill Church of Eden Prairie, MN.

Three older family members were recognized at the reunion. Rev. Joe Rangen, husband of the late Estelle Stadem Rangen, was sent greetings which were hand delivered to him at the Moen Nursing Home in Fergus Falls, MN by Ron Ginther. Also Pearl Stadem Ginther will be feted during two full days of festivities planned for her in Puyallup, WA on her 100th birthday on Sept. 13, 2009. Cora Stadem Taylor was recognized as a collection was taken among the attendees for her support as a missionary in Brazil.--Rennard Svanoe, Chilhuahua, Mexico

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