Wittlich family celebrates 60 years of reunions

Bob Heberer was 23 when he got on an old John Deere tractor and pulled a wagon to the first Wittlich family reunion.

“It was held at Strecks Clubhouse on the outskirts of Freeburg,” he said from beneath a straw driver-style cap. “Everything was outdoors. The food was set up on an old haywagon.”

Bob, 83, and wife Janet, were the senior family members at this year’s event, held inside air-conditioned Klucker Hall at Shiloh Community Park and, later, outdoors, for games.

“My mother (Lillian) was a Wittlich,” said Bob, who retired in 1994 from Heberer Farm Equipment. “Mother lived on a farm east of Freeburg. We used to have the reunion at Hertel Schoolhouse on Jefferson Road southeast of Belleville. The Strecks had a processing plant in Belleville. They bought the old schoolhouse to use as a clubhouse. Dad was friends with Streck. Dad was a farmer. He used to haul metal to their place on West Main Street, near where Firestone is. ...”

The first reunion committee consisted of Joe Weik Jr., Lillian Heberer, Helen Neff, Rolly Wittlich, Henry Wittlich, Vernon Wittlich, Kenneth Wittlich and Leona Spehn.

The reunion site has moved, but the happy get-together is still going strong. By 11:30 Sunday, folks were signing in and signing up for such things as horseshoes and washers. Kids studied glass jars of Starburst and Jolly Ranchers before writing down their guesses of how many were inside. Cousins hugged. Cooks filled long tables in the middle of the room with their best dishes. Sandy Lou’s Potato Salad and Ann’s Peach Custard Pie.

“I bring something different every time,” said Ann Herzing, a teacher’s aide at Belleville West, carrying a perfect looking pie. “It’s the first time I have ever brought this. It’s Mom’s recipe, peach custard. We got peaches down in Goreville. They have wonderful peach orchards, southern Illinois peaches.”

“Ann and I got the same peaches,” said her sister, Barb, a retired teacher who lives in Fairview Heights. “I made peach crumble, a new recipe.”

She set her crumble on a bar laden with desserts.

Who’s who

“This is our committee,” Barb said of two women sitting behind a table with signs such as 50/50 raffle and horseshoe signup. “It works so well when you have one.”

Ashley Cryder explained her place in the family tree, and how her 5-year-old daughter, the one with a braid circling her head, came to be named Milla.

“My mom is Barb’s sister, Ann. Their mom is Milla Wittlich (Engel, who died in November 2011). My daughter’s great-grandma is Milla. She was around till Milla was 1 1/2.”

Young Milla may be more interested in the table of white elephants than family history now, but someday she’ll learn that John Phillip and Marie Christine Wittlich came from Germany in 1868 and settled near Mascoutah. Their son Phillip married Barbara Haege and they were blessed with 12 children, three of home died when they were infants. That’s how things got started.

Haley Wittlich, 18, of Fairview Heights, sat alongside Ashley. Haley’s reason to take part is simple: “I enjoy it,” she said. “I like seeing my family every year. It’s fun seeing everybody.”

The recent O’Fallon Township High School grad plans to attend SIUE in the fall and major in psychology. That day, she majored in setting up tables and chairs, and putting up signs. Her committee had booked the hall in January. One thing she didn’t have to do?

“I didn’t have to cook anything,” she said, “but Dad (David Wittlich) is bringing something.”

Jenny Wittlich and her family drove over from St. Peters, Mo., a big bowl of Grandma Milla’s potato salad, in the trunk.

“Some people I see only here,” said dark-haired Jenny. “I see close family more than that. My kids (Jakob, 10, and Morgan, 6) love it. They do water balloons and kids games. They just love it.”

Nine-month-old Aiden Uhrig, bouncing in dad Bob’s arms, was the youngest Wittlich descendant on hand until 3-week-old Joseph Michael Becherer, born June 22, showed up.

“Here comes the youngest. He’ll be three weeks tomorrow,” said Jenny, hugging mom Andrea and saying, “Congrats, you guys.”

Andrea’s stepfather is Mike Wittlich, one of the patriarchs.

“It’s good people,” said her husband Tim, of Belleville. “We play games. It’s real relaxed. Good food.”

Let the fun begin

By noon, three long tables were filled with everything from buckets of fried chicken and a Crock-pot of pork chops to meatloaf, corn casserole, chicken salad, slaw, at least two kinds of potato salad, deviled eggs, fruit salads, Jell-O salads and watermelon. Homemade pies, such as blackberry and peach, and cakes, such as Kathi Weilbacher’s chocolate Earthquake Cake, made the bar a true dessert bar.

Against a wall, family photos and a scrapbook shared a table with the tree stump trophy for winning the horseshoe tournment. Past winners carved their names and year of victory into it. Horseshoes, along with washers, would be part of the afternoon’s entertainment, along with a kids water balloon toss. A worn copy of an August 1978 issue of Better Homes and Gardens was also part of the display. The Wittlich reunion was featured. Back then, a watermelon seed spitting contest and sponge throwing were part of the picnic.

And if you talk to Mike Wittlich, he’ll tell you about a game he used to play.

“I was 12 at the first reunion. When it got dark, we played Kick the Can.”

That was after another memorable event.

“Our father (Rolly Wittlich) had a cousin (Vern Wittlich), who had a vending business. He brought in big tanks of soda. You could go up with a cup, over and over. We didn’t have soda at home. That didn’t last.”

But the fun event has.

“It’s great to see these people grow up, have children and grandchildren. It’s just wonderful being here.”

Mike, of Fairview Heights, wore a red Cardinal jersey.

“I am a retired teacher on my eighth part-time job. I drive a school bus. You can see my favorite baseball player is Stan the Man,” he said, showing a No. 6 tattoo on his arm.

Mike wanted to be a ballplayer ever since he can remember.

“I didn’t make it. I loved baseball. I still do. I thought I could be a teacher and coach.”

He was at Grant Junior High for 27 years, teaching mostly math and English. He’s been driving a school bus for 12 years.

“Two hours in the morning and two hours in the afernoon. I have the summers off.”

He looked forward to horseshoe throwing and having a beer or two.

“I am one of the few who form a circle after dark and finish the coolers of beer,” he said.

“The man of many jobs also stepped up to talk to the crowd of about 80 before lunch.

“It’s great to see everybody could make it out on a hot day,” he said. “It wouldn’t be a Wittlich reunion if it wasn’t hot. We are all descendants of Phillip C. Wittlich, who came to central Illinois in 1868.

He talked about how great it would be for the Wittlich reunion to continue, asked for volunteers for next year’s, and most important: “How do we decide who’s going to eat first?”

A guy named Jim had a suggestion: “Whoever is on the committee for next year.”

Everyone clapped.

“Every child who comes loves this,” said Mike. “If for nothing else, do it for them. We have to keep it going.”

Want to try a Wittlich family reunion dish? Here are three.

Wittlich family members remember fondly, Lillian Wittlich Heberer, of Mascoutah, who lived to 101, and made pies almost that long. Here’s one of her favorites.

Filling:

Meringue:

Pastry: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix flour, salt, lard and add ice water. Stir until dough sticks together. Roll out and place in pie pan. Bake at 450 degrees until lightly browned.

Filling: In a saucepan, combine flour, sugar, lemon peel and 1/4 cup cold water. Beat egg yolks with remaining cold water. Stir into flour mixture until smooth. With wire whisk, gradually stir boiling water into flour mixture. Beat to boiling over medium heat and stir lemon juice. Pour immediately into baked pie shell.

Meringue: Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy. Gradually add sugar, one tablespoon at a time. Continue beating until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over warm filling. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until lightly brown. Let stand two hours before serving.

If you’re a cook who doesn’t mind approximate measurements, you might want to try this potato salad recipe. “This recipe can be made up or down, depending on the amount you want to make,” said Sandy Lou Tutka, of Maeystown. “I have used up to five pounds of potatoes and as few as two pounds.”

Cut potatoes into pieces and cook in pot of water until fork tender. Transfer potatoes to a bowl.

Mix in the eggs. Fry bacon and crumble. Use half in the salad and sprinkle the rest on top. Do the same with the cheese.

Adjust the amount of onions, depending on the size bowl you are making. The amount of mayonnaise is also dependent on the size. You do not want it to be dry.

You can tell this was on old recipe. On Grandma Milla’s recipe card, she had written: “Nuts, 10 cents worth.”

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x13-inch pan. Combine melted margarine with sugar. Slowly add 4 egg yellows (yolks), one at a time. Mix well. Set aside.

Make a paste with cocoa and milk. Add the paste to the sugar mixture. Then add flour, salt, vanilla and nuts. Mix until smooth.

Beat egg whites until stiff and form peaks. Fold slowly into chocolate mixture. Do not stir.

Bake 30 minutes.

Important: Cool on wire rack covered with cotton dish towel. When cool, sprinkle powered sugar on top and cut into bars.

This story was originally published July 18, 2015 at 1:17 AM with the headline "Wittlich family celebrates 60 years of reunions."