Posted on July 1, 2020 at 1:08 PM by Denise Cartina
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MY MOM WAS BORN IN 1933, THE 10TH OF 13 CHILDREN BORN TO GERTRUDE HILTENBRAND AND JOSEPH WEHRLI. SHE WAS BORN AND RAISED DURING A DEPRESSION. SHE GREW UP IN WWII, AND HER PARENTS GREW UP IN WWI. SHE LIVED IN THE PRE-EMPTION HOUSE, A 19 BEDROOM, 109 YR OLD HOTEL, AT 39 W. CHICAGO AVENUE IN DOWNTOWN NAPERVILLE, RUN AS A HOTEL BY MY GREAT GRANDPARENTS.
“WE ARE FAMILY” IS A BOOK SHE WROTE AND PUBLISHED IN 1993. IT CAPTURES THE MOMENTS OF LOVE, JOY, AND TEARS OF WHAT ITS LIKE TO HAVE TWELVE BROTHERS AND SISTERS. MY GRANDPARENTS DID THE BEST THEY COULD AND RAISED PROMINENT FAMILIES THAT STILL RESIDE IN NAPERVILLE. THIS BOOK IS HER STORY OF HER CHILDHOOD IN THE CITY OF NAPERVILLE.
THE WEHRLI’S HELPED SETTLE NAPERVILLE IN 1840. MANY CAME, STAYED, SOME MOVED ON. SHE IS NOW WORKING ON HER SECOND NOVEL, “A WHISTLE ABOUT HER NECK”. THE STORY IS ABOUT SOPHIA WEHRLI SCHWING, A YOUNG COUSIN OF HERS WHO LEFT NAPERVILLE TO GO TO CALIFORNIA TO BE A HOUSE-KEEPER FOR HER THREE COUSINS DURING THE GOLD RUSH IN 1849. THE WHISTLE SHE WEARS AROUND HER NECK SAVES HER MANY TIMES IN THE STORY AND SHOWS HER COURAGE TO MOVE INTO THE UNKNOWN WILD WEST.
SHE IS WORKING TO COMPLETE THE NOVEL. SHE ENCOURAGES THE YOUTH OF NAPERVILLE TO WRITE ABOUT THEIR FAMILY HISTORY, CREATE STORIES TO SHARE; AND BE GREAT STORYTELLERS. THE MEMORIES WE SHARE GO ON FOREVER. IT IS HER HOPE TO COMPLETE THE BOOK SOON TO SHARE WITH NAPERVILLE."
Nominated by Debra Paul