So take a trip back 84 years ago to see a little of that era of Manning's history...
I added some songs from 1938 that will give you another idea of the time-frame.
These are some of the children of members of this class who are living in/around Manning: Glen Struve (Kevin), Amos Rutz (Karl), Robert Hoffmann (Dean), George Campbell (Harry), Iola (Taylor) Stammer (Calvin), Amos Misselhorn (Keith), Amos Kusel (David), Wesley Lage (Brian, a nephew), Helen (Hinz) Wegner (Connie Wegner Singsank), Helen (Kuhn) Weible (Tim Weible), Orren Ramsey (Kay Ramsey Rutherford)
I think I have Jean's family background figured out, but if I'm in error please let me know.
Thanks,
Dave
I'm including some non-family pictures and information from the class of 1938 to give a little insight into the time-frame when Jean attended Manning Schools...
As far as I know, Jean was the last living member of this class.
Jean Williams formerly Jean Doris Carstens, passed away on Friday, September 9, 2022, at the age of 102.
Born January 28, 1920, in Manning, she was the daughter of Jacob and Wilhelmine (Brüggmann) Carstens. She graduated from Manning High School in 1938…the last surviving member of that class.
She passed peacefully with the help of Kaiser Hospice, San Francisco, California. Jean's family was there throughout the process. They plan to have a Celebration of Life later this year.
Although most of her friends have passed, she was quite popular and known for her kindness, accepting personality, energy, and of course endurance. She attributed her lifelong values from growing up in Manning.
Her determination, confidence, and spirit of adventure have been passed on to her family. Even though, she experienced various trials and tribulations of the "Greatest Generation," she often said that she had a" Wonderful Life."
Jean was married to John W. Williams and their daughter, Margie, preceded her in death (1952 - 2010).
Jean had a brother Harry Jacob Carstens and a sister Milda Dorothy (Carstens) Dethlefs.
Peter & Mary (Peper) Carstens February 19, 1902
Jean's uncle/aunt
Malinda (Carstens) Dethlefs
Jean's cousin - daughter of Peter & Mary
Milda & Harry Carstens
Jean's siblings
1938 former students: Mary Algren, Luella Anton, Helen Asmus, Darrell Bailey, John Allen Bailey, Gordon Barnes, Jimmie Crider, Lyle Dudgen, Kenneth Esser, Ione Fister, Mary Freese, Elroy Graninger, Craig Grover, Dewey Hargens, Harry Hargens, Jacquetta Hockett, Carl Jones, Jonnie Jones, Bernice Karsten, Bernard Kuhse, Neal Markley, Vernet McMahon, Melvin Mitchell, Vernie Mock, Martha Murphy, Louis Plotz, Clifford Precht, Orren Ramsey, Velma Ranniger, Margaret Rasmussen, Bernice Schumann, Edna Sextro, Ila Sievers, Betty Jean Torgerson, Phyllis Ulman, Bobby Wailes, Dorothy Wheeler, Marcella Wiese, Virgil Wiley, Reva Wrigley, Ralph Zender
These are some of the children of members of this class who are living in/around Manning: Glen Struve (Kevin), Amos Rutz (Karl), Robert Hoffmann (Dean), George Campbell (Harry), Iola (Taylor) Stammer (Calvin), Amos Misselhorn (Keith), Amos Kusel (David), Wesley Lage (Brian, a nephew), Helen (Hinz) Wegner (Connie Wegner Singsank), Helen (Kuhn) Weible (Tim Weible), Orren Ramsey (Kay Ramsey Rutherford)
Here are pictures of some of Jean's classmates, teachers, and information that will give you an idea of her time at MHS.
If you are old enough you will remember the "sunken" room in the old high school which was on the south half of the building.
This was originally the gym when the school was built in 1917.
This image shows the stage that was on the east end of the gym.
The stage was converted into an administration office and the sunken room was my science room in 1972-73.
The new gymnasium was built in 1937 and the class of 1938 was the first class to use it for PT, sports, and to walk down the aisle for graduation.
Other pix & information down below.
When you see my constant pleas to get your old Manning connected pix to me to scan - these next two images below are a perfect example, along with the rest of the pictures
that follow. These 2 gym pix came from the Dean Hoffmann collection (his dad was Robert who graduated in 1938 and Bob's dad, Henry was on the school board for 30 years).
So if you like to see the hundreds of thousands of pix I can show - think if NO one had shared with me and how many more pix I could show if more Manning connected people
would let me scan their Manning pix.
From Lola (Hansen) Ahrendsen's collection (Lola's brother Alvan graduated in 1938)
1937-38 Back: Wayne Schelldorf, Gene Claussen, Francis Zerwas, Lyle Arp, Wayne Schrum, Coach Joe Rogers
Front: Harold Hoffmann, Robert Hoffmann, Richard Ohm, Bill Hunter, Amos Misselhorn, Harold “Horse” Nickum
High school before the gym was added on...
This picture was taken on the north end of the gym - now part of the Manning Rec Center gymnasium
Bill Campbell - Ag instructor
Monitor Article
IN DOUBLE VICTORY
The Carroll county 4-H crops judging team which will represent Iowa in the competition at the National 4-H club congress in Chicago, Illinois, next
December will be representing the state in the second interstate competitive event this year. The same three boys who won the state 4-H crops title will be
Iowa's livestock judging entrant in the National Future Farmers' competition in Kansas City, Missouri, next month. They are members of the Manning High school team.
Left to right are: Amos Kusel, Alvin Musfeldt, George Opperman, and Merlin Musfeldt who was the highest rated individual judge in the contest, and their coach,
W.R. Campbell Manning High school vocational agriculture instructor and 4-H leader.
Wesley Lage MHS 1938
Jimmy Rowedder MHS 1942, Dorothy Rowedder MHS 1938
August 26, 1937 Monitor Ad
George Campbell MHS 1938
Alvan Hansen MHS 1938
Helen Hinz MHS 1938
Coach John Hall
Robert Hoffmann MHS 1938
313 Second Street
Merle Curtis MHS 1938
George Opperman, Amos Kusel, Merlin Musfeldt, Alvin Musfeldt, Emil Opperman
On the Emil Opperman farmplace - Emil, father of George
Amos Kusel, Lyle Arp, Merlin Asmus
Glen "Red" Struve MHS 1938
Warren Timmerman MHS 1938
One of the Bay Area’s Oldest Resident Jean Doris Williams Celebrates her 102 Birthday
Jean Doris Willams (b.1920) is one of the Bay Area’s oldest living residents. At 102, her journey begins in the small town of Manning, Iowa where she was born to German immigrant parents from Schleswig-Holstein, Jacob Carstens (1874-1957) and Wilhelmine "Minnie" (Brügmann) Carstens (1883–1924). Raised in rural Manning, Jean lived a relatively simple life helping out on her family’s farm and summers tending to chores at her Aunt Margaret’s railway boarding house in Manilla, Iowa. For fond memories of her childhood, her face lights up when she talks about going to picture shows, dancing to old-timer tunes, and ice skating at the famous Land Lake.
Graduating from Manning High School in 1938, she followed her studies by receiving a Teacher Training certificate in 1939. Soon after, at the age of 21, she began making her way across the country, over 1,600 miles, where she arrived in San Diego, California, traveling with another friend of hers also from Manning. Pulling into the station, her new life would now begin as she embraced the warm weather and idyllic charm of the seaside town before her. With the need to support herself, she began working as a housekeeping attendant for the legendary beach resort, Hotel del Coronado, while also supporting World War II wartime efforts, volunteering as a street warden during the blackout ordinance, and cleaning Naval officer houses during the day. The year 1941 also saw the rise of the Big Band era. She blushingly admits that she and her friends were regulars of the local swing clubs, dancing the night away to Big Band musicians like Glen Miller, Harry James & Tommy Dorsey, and the Lennon Sisters.
By 1942, after a weekend trip to San Francisco with friends, she would soon fall in love with the "golden city" that would become her forever home. Allured by the colorful landscape, the diversity, the energy, the arts, and everything in between, she began her new independent life working with Safeway until 1946. That year she married John “Red” Williams, and she and Red settled down in the San Francisco neighborhood of Eureka Valley, where they started their family. They had three children, Bobby, Patty, and Margie (1952-2010). In her new household, education was very important. To support her children’s private, parochial education, she continued to work for companies like Woolworths, Fosters, and Candlestick Park, former home of the San Francisco Giants and 49ers, to help offset fees. She was also an active member of her children’s PTA programs, a board member for the Eureka Valley Women’s Club, and a troop leader for the local Eureka Valley Girl Scouts. In 1969, at the age of 50, with her children off to college, she would go back to work full-time for the Californian-favorite, See’s Candy Company, working until her retirement at age 65. Often referred to as Ms. See's, she became a customer favorite winning employee of the month awards regularly and rising to manager-level of the top-selling store in San Francisco in just a few short years.
After retirement, she moved into an independent Senior Living home in San Mateo, where she lived until early 2015. During that time, she continued traveling with her children to places in Hawaii, the Caribbean, Italy, Lake Tahoe, the East Coast, and Mexico. She also helped out as a welcome ambassador for new Senior residents, worked part-time running the community pantry, and even helped with meal planning at the dining hall. On January 28, 2022, Jean celebrates her 102nd birthday with family and friends via Zoom from her Senior Living home in Palo Alto. She is a proud centenarian of the “greatest generation” and remembered fondly for her famous “chicken and dumplings” and “sauerkraut and bratwurst” dishes. She also loved to sew and read books and is a grandmother to six grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild.
Written by her granddaughter, Amanda Minnie Vasquez Williams, in collaboration with her children Bobby and Patty Williams.