Growing up Grammy
These are the names of Grammy’s parents.
What are Frieda and Arthur?
In 1912, Grammy’s father, Art, moved with his family from their home in Niles, Oklahoma to the east side of the state. They traveled in this style of transportation.
What is a covered wagon?
In the 1920s, Grammy’s mother moved to Chicago to work at Marshall Field, a business that is now part of this famed U.S. department store.
What is Macy’s?
Grammy graduated from this college.
What is Merrimack College?
This is Grammy’s favorite athletic activity which involves choreographed workout steps.
What is aerobics?
This is the city where Grammy was born.
What is Chicago?
Grammy can trace her ancestry back to her paternal great, great, great, great grandfather. His name is the same as our oldest known Germino ancestor.
What is Michael?
Grammy’s great grandfather is Frederick Ziesenis, born in 1840. He emigrated from this province in Germany, which shares a name with a classic American ground beef.
What is the Province of Hamburg?
This is the backstory of the North Reading flag.
What is Donna’s Girl Scout Troop, under the leadership of Grammy, designed the flag of North Reading?
This was one of Grammy’s favorite baking activities.
What is cake decorating?
These are Grammy’s siblings in order.
Who are Jean, Jim, Ruth, Carol?
When Grammy’s father was 5, he had a dog named Spitz. Spitz was instrumental in catching cottontails for this kind of stew (a staple meal in the family’s diet)
What is rabbit stew?
Grammy’s maternal grandmother is from this country, known for a red flag with a blue and white cross.
What is Norway?
Grammy was employed at this local government agency from 1982-2004.
What is the North Reading Housing Authority?
This was Grammy’s favorite card game club.
What is Bridge Club?
Grammy was a member of St. Mary’s Drum and Bugle Corp. This was her position.
What is a member of the color guard?
Grammy’s grandfather, Charles Sommer, left Oklahoma in 1911 after worsening crop failures due to the erosion of topsoil. Twenty years later, the erosion earned the area this nickname.
What is the Dust Bowl?
This is Grammy’s mother’s full name.
What is Freida Naomi Williams (Sommer) ?
Grammy and Grampy met while working at Sylvania Electric in this MA city.
What is Salem?
Grammy’s favorite movie is “Inn of the Sixth Happiness,” starring this famous actress known for her leading role in "Casablanca."
Who is Ingrid Bergman?
Grammy was born in 1936. Her family moved around to these three states before settling in Beverly, MA.
What are New York, Virginia, Ohio?
The first Sommer to come to the U.S. was Maximillian in the 1850s. He landed on the coast and sailed down the Columbia River. Name 3 of the 7 states the Columbia River crosses.
What are Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming?
Grammy’s great, great grandfather, John Mueller, was born in Germany in 1805 and immigrated to the United States. Over the years, the surname went from Mueller to Ziesenis to Sommer to Germino, and the family moved around a lot. Name 5 of the 9 states in which they lived.
What are Wisconsin, New York, Florida, Minnesota, South Dakota, Ohio, Massachusetts, Kansas, Oklahoma?
Grammy worked at Sylvania Electric until 1963. She fondly remembers her summer vacations where she traveled to major cities. Name 2 of the 7 cities Grammy visited.
What are Las Vegas, Cape Cod, Tijuana, Chicago, Atlantic City, Los Angeles, Seattle, Tulsa, Niagara Falls?
This is Grammy’s favorite crooner who popularized songs: “And love you so,” “Hot Diggity” and “’til the end of time."
Who is Perry Como?