Emogene and Friends Birthday Number 77 Party. A Chronology of a birthday party 2002

Emogene Reta Grams Knuth's 77th birthday in July 28, she was born in 1925

The following is a rough chronology as we partied over a three calendar day period on Sherri and Gary Saxe’s beautiful dairy farm.

Emogene's 77th by Dennis July 28 2002	Dons Photos	Silesia's  Photos	Vern's Photos

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• The Birthday entourage for Emogene began forming on July 24, 2002 when Delores Grams Yannone arrived from Montana on Saturday, July 27th

• We had a perfect day – it got up to a humid 86 degrees, rained and cooled down to a pleasant upper 60s later at night

• Silesia Oliveira, Dennis Knuth and Helton DePaulo arrived from New York City on Saturday, July 27th at 5 am

• Helton cooked Brazilian food from 6 am until 8 pm with only 2 hours of sleep

• Sherri Knuth Saxe joined the party at 6 am

• Gary Saxe joined the party at 8:30 am but then worked until later

• Emogene Grams Knuth joined the party at 10:30 am

• Silesia presented Emogene with a signed Yankee baseball “Emogene, Happy Birthday, Derrick Jeter” about 11:30 am

• Don Grams and Rose Scott Grams joined the party at 3:15 pm

• Jeanette Grams Ayres and Vern Bundy joined the party at 3:30 pm

• Norma Grams Wheeler and Bob Wheeler joined the party at 4:15

• Elvera Grams Biesecker, Don Biesecker, and Delores Grams Yanonne joined the party at 4:30 pm

• Kelly Bauer and Nathan Moore arrived at 4:30 pm

• Helton began making Caipirinhas, the Brazilian National Drink at 5 p.m. The Cachaça (spelled cachaça in English) ran out by 7 pm, - the Golden Girls again. click here to see a recipe. But the Caipirinhas continued, the chef just switched to vodka as the main ingredient

• New York T-shirts were presented to all the Grams family as an Emogene Birthday remembrance

• It rained buckets and everyone headed inside

• The rain stopped and the skies cleared at 6:00:pm and we headed outside again

• Anne Biesecker Struck arrive

• Kaydi and Kelli Saxe arrive

• Dan and Sandy Bauer, Kelly’s parents arrive

• Beth Bauer, Sherri’s friend arrive

• An All Brazilian Supper was served at about 8 pm

• Gary’s chore helping Amish stopped by on their way home and showed us their horse and carriage

• Emogene’s birthday officially started at about 10 pm with fireworks

• The Golden Grams Girls were lit and they lighted up the sky with roman candles

• Star light and Moon lit walks on the highway.

• Four Wheeler rides with friends, and Toby, the Saxe family dog. Toby jumps right on the 4 wheeler and takes rides with you if you ask him

Sunday, July 28th, 2002

A hotter and more humid 94 degrees didn’t ruin our day. It rained in the early evening and then drizzled to a 66 degrees through the night

• The party moved away from the house to the near motor home so those so inclined could sleep in peace

• Karaoke and country took over as brief dance club music play ended

• The party continued until at least 3:45 am. Don, Delores and Elvera were last to leave but Jeanette and Vern stayed overnight in the motor home

• Emogene’s birth date day arrived with partiers waking up at 8:30 am

• Bob Schwetz and Alice Sperber Schwetz arrive at 10:30 am

• Gary rejoined to party at 11:30 am

• Short trip interludes were made until the party began reforming around 3 pm

• It rained again from 5:30 until 7:30 and drizzled through the rest of the night

• Russell Biesecker arrived with the returning Don, Elvera, and Delores at 7:00 pm

• Rod and Roxie Bauer, Gary’s Neighbors arrived

• Leftover Brazilian food and Wisconsin brats were served

• A fireworks birthday cake marked the nearing end of the occasion

• Grand Finale Fireworks ended Emogene’s Birthday celebration at about 10 pm

• The Golden Grams Girls lighted up the sky AGAIN with roman candles as their salute to Emogene’s best birthday ever

Monday July 29th

• The last guests gradually went home or went to bed.

• The birthday party ended with Emogene and Silesia being the last survivors, until 2:45 am, when Silesia, Helton, and Dennis left for the airport.

Thank you(s) to

• Helton and Silesia for bringing 30 pounds of Brazilian food and drinks from NY

• Helton and Silesia for spending 12 hours in the kitchen while we enjoyed your efforts and socialized while you worked so hard

• Elvera and Don for food and cooking pots loan

• Jeanette for food and booze contributions

• Everyone who brought gifts, food, fireworks and refreshments, I apologize for not knowing of and / or not naming all of you and your gifts

• Delores for coming on short notice

• Don for his photos

• Vern for his toys (and photos too)

• Sherri and Gary for letting us mess up the farm, for contributions of birthday cake, beer and fireworks

• My aunts, uncles, family and friends for making this wonderful extended family that I have

• Emogene for having this, her 77th birthday.

“Happy Birthday Mom – I love you”, Dennis

This is one of the best things we ever did for our mom, Emogene.   We lost her at age 91 in 2017 on St Patrick's Day