OUR FAMILY ROOTS

THE MIELKE FAMILY TREE
 
John Clifford Mielke 1912-1989
Margaret Alice (Gustafson) Mielke 1912-1980
are John Robert Mielke's parents


 
John Robert Mielke and his siblings:
Standing left to right: Suzan 1938-2021, Marnice 1941-2021, Trudy b.1945
Seated left to right: John b.1948, Bill b.1948, Frank b.1950



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THE BAKER  FAMILY  TREE

John Robert Mielke's paternal grandmother was Susie Lena (Baker) Mielke.  The BAKER branch of the family is very  interesting. They immigrated from England in 1637 232 YEARS before any other branch of our family!! They fought in the early Narragansett War as well as the Revolutionary War and the Civil War.

 John Robert Mielke's paternal great grandparents

Clephane Holbrook Baker 1851-1928
Hannah Emogene (Wiseman) Baker 1856-1906
George Baker 1879-1953
Walter Baker 1882-1956


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GUSTAFSON FAMILY TREE

  
John Robert Mielke's maternal grandparents: 
William Ferdinand "Will" Gustafson 1885-1933
Alice Almeda (Klint) Gustafson 1886-1975
(Margaret (Gustafson) Mielke's parents)



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THE KLINT FAMILY TREE

Margaret (Gustafson) Mielke's mother was Alice Almeda Klint
 
August and Emma Helena Klint Family  
Their daughter Alice (back row - farthest left) is Margaret Mielke's mother




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WALCKER FAMILY HISTORY

Coleen Marie (Walker) Mielke's Paternal Line
 
Jacob and Rosena Walker Family 1940
Coleen (Walker) Mielke's paternal grandparents
Back row: Adolph, Edwin, young boy is Iver, Oliver (Coleen's father),
Sam and Welentina    Seated: Leah, Jacob, Rosena, Pauline  


My paternal (Walcker) ancestors were "German Russians". I have traced them back to 1744 in
Steinheim, Germany. In 1817, due to famine and impending mandatory military service, they immigrated
to Russia where they were offered free farm land with no military requirements.  The Walckers farmed in
Russia for almost 70 years. In 1885, Russia changed the rules and told the German Russians that
they would have to fight in a war against Germany, which my family thought was unacceptable. They,
along with 150,000 other German Russians, immigrated to America where they received free homesteads.


My family originally spelled their last  name WALCKER, however, as an adult, my grandfather
changed the spelling to Walker because he thought it looked more American.

My Walcker's spoke only German (the Schwäbisch dialect). Even though they lived in Russia
for 68 years and then in America for 74 years, they only spoke German. My father didn't learned to
speak English until he was drafted into the Army during WWII.


Walker Family

The Oliver and Kathleen (Furness) Walker Family 1975
Standing (my siblings) Sherrie, Terry, Debbie
Seated, Kathleen (my mother) Oliver (my father), Coleen (me)




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FURNESS FAMILY HISTORY
Coleen Marie (Walker) Mielke's maternal line

Seated Center: Thomas William Furness 1889-1957  (my maternal grandfather)
Seated Center: Kate Maud Tinsworth 1892-1960 (my maternal grandmother)
Wedding  1913 Cambridge, England

My mother, Kathleen Maud (Furness) Walker, was born in Cambridge, England in 1924.
She met my father, Oliver Walker, while he was stationed at Bassingborn, England during
World War II (he was an Army telephone operator). They were married in 1947 (in Cambridge) and
came to America aboard American Overseas Airlines.  They moved to Alaska  in 1950, where I was born.

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~~~~~

A Letter To My Grandchildren:
Chase, Serra, Kyle, Darren, Callie, Kate and Stephen

You hold a VERY special place in my heart. It is a place where I keep my favorite memories,
like the first time I held you in my arms, the thousands of times I rocked
 you to sleep, the 1st steps I watched you take, the books you asked me
to read to you before bed, and so many more.

I cherish the times you greeted me by jumping onto my lap and whispering, "Hi Gramma!!"
I remember how excited you were to sing me the "ABC" song and the
sparkle in your eyes when I made your  birthday cakes. I think fondly of the dozens
upon dozens of tea parties we had, complete with fancy straw hats. They are all such sweet memories.

I hope and pray that you find love, laughter and happiness in your life.
I love you with every ounce of my being and I am SO proud of you.
Smile when you think of me.....Gramma Mielke