Columbus, Ohio to Minneapolis, MN
Drive 1,277 miles, 22 h 4
2019 Year of the
Garnet Bracelet Tour Although some may say 2019 was actually the year of my retirement, I didn’t go down without a long and intense search for a job replacement; but that was not to be. Andviaright now am Ereaching the end I-71 N andII-76 22 of h 47 min my unemployment benefits, so my for 2020trais cto stop... redo1,277 my miles 22 hplan 47 min without This route has tolls. George & Ruth resume... retool... or just accept that I’m not running for President, This route includes a ferry. Your destination is in a different time zone. and that pushing 78 is just too old for anything except politics.
Map data ©2019 Google, INEGI
Vic, Ruth, Phil, Gisela, George, me
100 mi
Gisela & me
Explore Minneapolis The Garnet Bracelet* Tour came about when my former sister-inlaw, Ruth Gunst, persuaded me that it was high time (since I now The Badger had time) to visit family and friends in the east and midwest. And she wonderously planned https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Columbus,+Ohio/Grove+City,+PA/Grand+Rapids,+Michigan/Ludington,+MI/Saint+Nazianz,+WI/Racine,+WI/Curtis+Lake,+Richford,+WI/Minneapolis,+MN/@42.3 out my entire trip from Ohio to Pennsylvania Peggy & Oscar, the dog to Michigan to Wisconsin. She and her fantastic life-partner, Victor, drove us more than 1,200 miles so I could see former relatives and eventually to meet up with my brother, John Benson, for the second part of the tour! This even included crossing Lake Michigan on an old steamer called the Badger. My brother picked me up in Racine, WI, Farewell dinner by Lake Michigan Ruth & Cousin Bob on site Three of us in St Nazianz, birthfrom Misha’s cousin’s house, stopping to see his daughter-in-law in of their great great grandplace of Ruth’s father, Hugo Goetz Milwaukee area, then driving on to his Curtis Lake home. And after a father’s murder in 1856 couple of days rest, he and his wife, Linda, drove me to my hometown of Minneapolis, Minnesota!
Here is a list of the people I visited or saw during the trip: • •
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
•
Left, Veca Jr. with her twins; Above, Veca Sr. & me; Right, Veca with 13 yr old grandson
Ruth & Vic Gunst, Reynoldsburg, OH (former Goetz in-laws) Curtis Lake. Gisela & George Goetz, Grove City, PA (former Goetz in-laws) & kids John & • Philip Goetz, Grove City, PA Linda << • Julie (Goetz) & Nathan Pugh & two of their nine kids, Our gang in Stephanie & Frances, Grove City, PA Mpls: Steve, Linda, John, • Peggy Goetz, Grand Rapids, MI me, Leah, Robert “Bob” Domagalski, St Nazianz, WI (Goetz cousin & historian) Dave & Andrea Veca & Toma Petrovic, Racine, WI (Misha’s cousin - “sister-from-aunt”) & Russell Ivan & Theresa Petrovic, Tristan & Ryan, Racine, WI (Misha’s nephew *Why the Garnet Bracelet & wife & two of their four kids) When I began preparing for this trip, I Veca Djordgevic & her twin sons, Mt. Pleasant (Misha’s niece) was thinking about gifts to bring the many people I planned to see. My former-sisterTammi Benson, Richfield, WI (my niece-in-law) in-law reminded me that they didn’t want John & Linda Benson, Curtis Lake, WI (brother & sister-in-law) presents, only my physical presence. Leah & Steve Barnacle, Deephaven, MN (sister & brother-in-law) But I had to bring something, even if it was Rachel Beutz & Nicole (my niece & her daughter) only a token. So I came upon the idea of some sort of bracelet that both men and Roxanne Markoff (high school friend & birthday twin) women could wear. In my research I found Andrea & Dave Banker & Russell, Maple Grove, MN (sister & a supplier in China who would string garnet beads into elastic bracelets of various sizes. brother-in-law & nephew) Newly found first cousins: LaDonna Osbourne (Roland Benson’s Not only are garnets a precious stone, they are very colorful. Legend has it that daughter) & Cindy Peterson (Bob Benson’s daughter) Noah had garnets on the ark because of Karen Pettman, Anoka, MN (friend from back to grade school!) their properties. Garnets are considered spiritual stones that encourage higher Marty & Amy Banker, Jack & Emily (my nephew & wife & kids) thinking and self-empowerment. They Michelle Kope & Ethan & Clover Whetstone (my niece & kids) also impart to their wearers strength and safety. ...as well as prosperity and abunAt cousin Jeanine Porter’s funeral: dance, encouraging gratitude and ser• Linda & Kenny Fuhrman & Leah (cousin & husband & daughter) vice to others. Well, you can’t beat those traits, even if they are only mythical. • Pat Christiansen & Melisa (cousin & daughter) • Al Porter & Eric & Marshall (Jeanine’s husband & sons) So I ordered 30 bracelets to take with me so I could leave a trail of garnets along my way. Plus lots of cats and dogs!
Brother John with Toma describing how hemp was harvested in old Serbia
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The Banker grandkids with me & their uncle Russell >>
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ABOUT US HELP PRESS API JOBS P Two “lost” cousins were found via DNATERMS and ancestry.com. DIRECTORY PROFILES HASHTAGS Cindy Peterson (green top) and LaDonna Osbourne© 2020 (blue INSTAGRAM top), both from St Paul, met Leah, Andrea, & me for a little get-acquainted dinner.
Misha’s news from 2019
Still hacking away at his travel and tour business. After nearly 40 years, he sees no end in sight. He manages from his home office with two ibooks and a couple of mobile phones. He has a good working relationship
2020 Here we come!
with some local hotel concierges in booking folks on custom tours of the area, including Los Angeles and Tijuana. And, he still attends major trade shows around the country. In addition to his job, Misha, at age 72, still manages to play soccer at least
once a week, and 2019 included participating in a “senior” tournament in Thailand (four pictures below), after which he did some touring on his own in Singapore and Hong Kong. Of course, our son’s beautiful daughters are always high on
his agenda; we try to see them as often as we can, even if it’s only walking with them to the local coffee bar near their home. And between Misha’s “wild” gardening, ethnic cooking, and cat tending, he fills his days.
Jackie: 24 Christina: 19 Matthew: 16 Cora: 8 Kim:5 >>
Misha’s nephew’s kids Solomon: 14 Sarah: 8 ˅ ˅ Maralee celebrating 50 with her dad & talking to Aunt Ruth
Get in the trunk, girls; Matthew doesn’t want you messing up his new Civic
The apples don’t fall far from the tree
Cora taking ice skating lessons <<
Auntie Barbara & I can’t reach his cheek anymore
Solomon & Sarah
Sarah & her partner, 8 year-old dance champions
Kim arranging friend Sandra’s (RIP) nativity set
Coffee with Nicole, first year St Thomas student >>
The four Benson’s together again, witH the 5th (Barbara) on FaceTime Driver-guide extraordinaire, Victor Gunst. He gave me a new appreciation for Ohio; his smooth trip through the roads & freeways & even onto an “ancient” Great Lakes steamer were marvelous. A former brotherin-law, but more, a great friend. Thanks, Vic! >>
Russell standing in his $100K chair
The two Leahs Roxanne Markoff & me making 3/5/42 look good
Linda & Kenny at the Larson graves
Five first and two first-once-removed cousins together at Jeanine’s funeral
Thift-shop dolls never had it so good since Leah took charge >>
Happy New Year/New Decade Wishing you Peace & love Marsha & Misha