Volume 17, No. 2

As an educational society
we will provide a
continuous history of
the Westonka area
for those who
follow after us....
Volume 17, No. 2 - 2013
In this issue:
Former Tonka Toy Employee Reunion - page 4
Fund-raiser update - page 5
New Era in Mound - page 5
Future program listings - page 6
Donations and needs - page 7
Ramona “Monie” Osmanson Koehler
And here to honor those days
so long ago,
are the hourglasses so full of time
that forever we will never let go.David Thomas
Annual Membership Meeting
10:45 - November 9, 2013
Meet your new officers
Visit the museum
Stay to hear about the Vikings
Sign up to volunteer for
museum help and other
opportunities
By Liz Vandam
Ramona “Monie” Osmanson had lived her whole young life in Mankato MN—until she moved to Mound in 1933,
and here she has remained for the past 80 years. Born in 1916, the daughter of Porter and Iza Osmanson, Monie
traveled frequently to the Twin Cities while growing up. Her aunt and uncle, Francie and Cadwell Clark, lived in
Minneapolis and Francie was her mother’s closest sister— naturally, Monie was a frequent visitor. When she visited
Aunt Francie and Uncle Cad, they would often travel together to Mound where Uncle Cad’s brother, Fred Clark, and
his wife Laura (Koehler) owned the local grocery store. Monie says, “We all became especially close and I quickly felt
at home in Mound”.
In 1933, the United States was seized by the Great Depression and its financial turmoil; Monie’s parents allowed her
to move permanently to Mound. She agreed that she would complete high school while also working at the IGA
Grocery Store, previously known as Koehler Grocery founded by Monie’s future father-in-law, Edward Koehler. During
the school year, life in town was quiet and the local Mound population shrank to about 300 residents. “Everyone knew
each other. Visitors stood out.” Monie remembers, “Working at the biggest store in town, the clerks always knew what
was happening because folks came to chat as well as shop and with the post office just a convenient stroll through the
store, we were the place to catch up with neighbors and their news.”
In winter school months, Monie says she sometimes lived at the back of the grocery store or with Fred and Laura
Clark at their home near Dutch Lake. As Mound High School could be found directly across the street to the north of
the store, it was a quick walk to and from school and work, especially convenient in cold weather. Monie remembers
being so cold in the winter from her walk to school that she would finally be
warmed up by lunch time. Her daily routine required little preparation—school
in the morning followed by store responsibilities until closing time. Her assigned
work tasks included stocking the candy case and filling customer orders. Before
the advent of today’s big box stores, personal attention toward customers was an
expected courtesy. Common shopping practices included a customer’s
handwritten list of necessaries presented to the store clerk. As a clerk, Monie
would retrieve the requested items—flour, vegetables, soap, salt, etc.—while the
customer waited or a box was prepared for delivery to their home. “It was all in
a day’s work,” says Monie Koehler, now 97 years young.
As Monie promised her parents, she graduated from Mound High School,
Class of 1934; fifty-five students completed the senior class. When the school
year ended and summer returned to Minnesota, the town population could
easily balloon to three times its off-season numbers. Mound was hopping with
families from Minneapolis who returned to their family cabins along Lake
Minnetonka. Mothers and kids settled into the rural beauty of lake life. Fathers
Continued on Page 2
Ramona Osmanson, Mound High
School, Class of 1934
Page 2
Volume 17, No. 2 - 2013
Ramona “Monie” Osmanson Koehler- Continued from Page 1
joined their broods on weekends. More families in the area
meant the grocery business was also overflowing with
activity—home deliveries went out three times daily and
Monie’s candy case required a larger inventory and more
attention.
Monie remembers she, too, had her share of summer
fun. Now that school was finished she had time away from
work to gather with friends at Surfside Park for snacks and
teenage fun and she recalls that Patty, Maxine and LaVerne
Andrews were among the beach crowd. Local parades
would also bring everyone out; the 29’s Club Parade was a
highlight featuring stores decked out sharing the
excitement with their customers and floats decorated to
vie for the first prize ribbon. Even the IGA truck was
known to have taken home the blue ribbon; its grinning
driver, Clarence “Curly” Koehler, could be “seen at the
wheel.”
Work was especially pleasant on mornings when Monie’s
store co-worker, Curly Koehler, invited her to ride with him
to Minneapolis to order fresh vegetables. They would leave
in the early morning hours in the company truck, arriving
in the city to choose the best produce and completing the
eighty-mile round-trip in time for the store to open in
Mound. No one was surprised when, after seven years of
working together at the IGA, Curly and Monie married on
June 30, 1940, joining two pioneer families—the
Osmansons from Norway and the Koehlers from Germany.
Their wedding day was topped off with a celebratory ride
through town on the Mound fire truck. Curly was a
volunteer fireman.
The IGA truck float wins the blue ribbon prize in the
'29ers Parade with
Curly Koehler (r) at the wheel, ca. 1929
In 1937, Monie added more responsibilities to her work
routine when a Mound summer resident, Minneapolis
dentist Dr. Amos Wells, visited the grocery store and
mentioned to her friend Laura Clark that his family was in
need of domestic assistance at the end of the summer.
Laura suggested Dr. Wells consider Monie and he did just
that. For the next three years she joined the doctor’s
household staff on weekdays in the city then returned to
the IGA for weekend clerking. An added benefit was living
in the Wells’ Langdon Lake cabin during summer months.
Monie remembers that though those accommodations
were cozy, they did include an outside biff.
Monie and Curly on their wedding day, June 1940, Mound MN
In May 1942, just before celebrating her second wedding
anniversary, Monie said a worried good bye to her Curly.
Like so many families across the globe, World War II
interrupted their lives together. Curly enlisted in the Army,
his truck driving skills throughout Italy would serve his
country well. While Curly was away, Monie busied herself
with work at the IGA and she kept the home fires burning
in the house they built together just before he left.
Westonka Historical Society Newsletter
Page 3
Ramona “Monie” Osmanson Koehler- Continued from Page 2
riding in hot air balloons, on trains and motorcycles,
and she become an avid golfer. On most Friday
afternoons these days she can be found at the Gillespie
Center enjoying a lively game of cards with friends.
Monie Koehler’s spirit continues to burn brightly—
she is a shining example for all of us to strive to live our
lives’ to the fullest.
Author’s note: If you enjoyed reading this short
biography and have suggestions for persons you believe
would like to be interviewed, please forward their
names to the Westonka Historical Society. Send those
names to WHS, PO Box 84, Mound, MN 55364 or
leave a message at 952.472.9800 or go to the contact
page on our web page:
http://www.WestonkaHistoricalSociety.org
Consider giving to the
Westonka Historical Society
on Give to the Max Day
November 14th at giveMN.org
Monie and Corporal Curly Koehler, ca. 1942
After three long years of separation, in October 1945,
Curly returned safely to Monie and they resumed their life
together. Babies quickly followed—Connie, Peggy, Vicki and
Karen—and soon the Koehler house was filled with the next
generation growing up in Mound. The years that followed
were happily devoted to children and visits with family. In
1985, together with family and friends, Curly and Monie
celebrated forty-five years of marriage, both finding
immense contentment in home and hearth.
Over the years, Monie has continued to surprise her
family with her naturally adventurous spirit. She has enjoyed
Curly and Monie Koehler, ca. 1985
Beginning on November 1, you may schedule your
donations for Give to the Max Day. When you
visit any GiveMN.org page between November 1
and November 14, your donation will
automatically be deducted from your credit or
debit card at midnight on November 14. You will
receive confirmation of your scheduled donation
immediately. You can choose not to schedule your
gift in advance by unchecking the box.
Page 4
Volume 17, No. 2- 2013
Third Tonka Toys Employee Reunion
What an incredible Success
The Westonka Historical Society hosted our
Third Tonka Toy Employee Reunion on
October 12th. Over 170 former employees
enjoyed a day of reminiscing, remembering,
sharing, laughing and catching up. The
museum and surrounding spaces were officially
open from 10:00 to 2:00. By 9:30 there were
already 25 people registered and wearing their
name-tags. The hand-shakes and hugs had
already started and were still happening at 2:00
that afternoon.
At 11:00 we hosted a short program where
we squeezed as many into the Council
Chambers room as we could. President Pamela
Brad and Sofi Doane from Menomonee brought their “Adult-Sized” Tonka Myers hosted the program. Lloyd Laumann,
Wrecker to the Reunion. A popular place for photos that day.
Ron Pauly, Vern Brandenburg, and Jerry Babb
spoke to the group. Stories were shared, various
departments were recognized, and a
video was played for all to enjoy.
Brad and Sofi Doane from
Menomonee, WI, returned to Mound to
show Brad’s “adult-sized” Tonka Wrecker
that he built. He shared his story about
his family owning a wrecking company,
his mother giving his father the Tonka
Wrecker toy and Brad’s joy in creating it
in an adult size.
At 12:00 a lunch was served, prepared
by the Gillespie Center’s “Flour Power.”
Self-guided tours of the Tonka Toy room
were going on during the entire reunion.
There were stories shared as each person
A small view of just one section of the Tonka Toy room with well over 200 toys
went into that room and remembered
being on various lines and in various
departments helping to build many of
the toys on display.
The reunion was considered a success
and many asked for us to host another
one in the near future. We plan on doing
that.
If you missed the reunion. but would
like to see many more picture that Sandra
Flier took during the reunion, come to
the museum any Saturday from 10:00 2:00 to browse through the file.
A program for over 170 former Tonka Toy Employees
Photos by Sandra Flier
Westonka Historical Society Newsletter
Page 5
Successful Fund-raiser for the Westonka Historical Society
Some of the guests aboard the elegant “Bella Vista”
Photo by Sandra Flier
September 28, 2013, started out with rain, but the Bella Vista
from Al & Alma’s proved to be a perfect place for community
members interested in helping to support the WHS on our 2nd
Annual Fund-raiser.
Participants were able to view a power-point highlighting some
of the hisory of the steamboats that brought visitors to the Lake
Minnetonka area and their famous hotels during our “Golden
Years” in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Jay Soule, Captain of our
Yacht, added present-day facts as we cruised around the Upper
Lake for three hours.
Several local restaurants, liquor stores and individuals donated
bottles of wine for our “Wall of Wine” to add to our fund-raising
mission. Several participants who said they had not been on the
lake for many years said they enjoyed the tour.
Put September of 2014 in your mind and watch for specifics for
our 3rd Annual Fund-raiser.
New Era for Mound and the Westonka Historical Society
The Westonka Historical Society has moved into the top floor of the building previously occupied by the Offices
of the City of Mound. On Monday, October 7, 2013, this building was renamed the “Centennial Building.”
Several members of the various organizations that presently occupy the space were present for the dedication
ceremony hosted by Kandis Hanson, City Manager of Mound. Pam Myers researched and presented the history of
the building.
The city offices moved to the former police offices in the Fire
Department building on Wilshire Blvd. The Westonka History
Museum occupies 5 rooms on the top floor of the Centennial
Building and also has 3 rooms for storage in a lower level. What
an exciting time for our community, finally having a permanent
space for our museum to highlight and preserve the rich history
of our area.
Mound Mayer Mark Hanus cutting the ribon on the new sign in front of
the newly named building.
Photo courtesy of The Laker Newspaper
Westonka Historical Society Board Members present for the
dedication were: (front l to r) Mary Opheim, Pam Myers, Carol
Senn, Vern Brandenburg. (back l ro r) Ron Pauly, Jeanne
Brustad, David Cross, Nancy Oestreich.
Photo courtesy of The Laker Newspaper
Volume 17, No. 2 - 2013
Page 6
Monthly Activities at the Westonka History Museum
All of these programs are free - come and join us!
November 9 - The Last Kings of Norse America - 11:00
Two runestones have been found that help to prove that the Vikings were here before Columbus. Come to our
program by authors Robert Johnson and Mary Westin in which they address a 450-year-gap in North
American history between the 1492 voyage of Columbus and the Vinland voyages of Leif Eriksson and
Thorfinn Karlsefni shortly after 1000 AD. The Spirit Pond runestone, found on the coast of Maine in 1971 and
the Kensington, MN runestone, found in 1898, have been translated to help tell the story. This translation
climaxed a decade of historical investigations. After the Vinland voyages, the Greenlanders developed a
lucrative trade in North American furs, marketed in Norway and taxed by the king. But after 1300 a cooling
climate caused the Greenland merchants to migrate to North America and the trade died. To regain the trade
and expand his empire, in 1356 King Magnus of Norway and Sweden sent his son, young King Haakon VI, on
an expedition to North America with Commander Paul Knutson. There will be a short Annual Membership
meeting of the Westonka Historical Society at the beginning of program.
December 14 - "God's Fingernail" by Jeff Skaret, a local author with some local history. 11:00
“God's Fingernail” tells the story of the author's life, family, and his spiritual journey. Jolted from his everyday reality when
his mother suffers a massive heart attack, he uses her story to unveil his own voyage from child to man. Jeffrey Skaret, who
grew up in Mound, cleverly lets both stories unfold simultaneously, pulling the reader in from the very beginning.
Poignant, funny, and compelling, Skaret's true life accounts, discoveries, and reflections prompt examination of personal
and spiritual growth. “God's Fingernail” is sure to spark memories, emotions, and encouragement in your own life.
January 11 - History of Ski Tonka - 11:00
This will be a program of stories, pictures and the history of our very own “Ski Tonka” Did you know that there was a downhill ski
slope right here in our own community from the 1950s for over 20 years? If you have pictures or stories to tell of your time at Ski
Tonka, let us know. We can scan those pictures and include them in our program, so let us know early. If you have a story about you
skiing at “Ski Tonka” or something that happened in your family at this place, let us know. You can email us: jlbrus@mchsi.com, or
call us, or write us. If you’re interested in being part of the program in any way, call us at 952.472.9800. And be sure to put this date
on your calendar and join us to hear more stories about this place that so many from our community enjoyed for so many years.
February 8 - “Orphan Train” by Renee Wendinger - 11:00
The Orphan Train Movement was a welfare program that transported children from crowded cities of the
United States, such as New York City and Boston, to willing foster homes across the country. The orphan
trains ran between 1853 and 1929, relocating an estimated 250,000 orphaned, abandoned, or homeless
children. At the time the orphan train movement began, reformers estimated that 30,000 vagrant children
were living on the streets of New York City. This period of mass relocation of children ended by the 1920s;
and was considered the beginning of organized foster care in America. Meet the author of this great
historical book and learn about her mother, who was on one of those orphan trains. There will be a
PowerPoint presentation with time for Q & A.
Future Programs
A Collector's Guide to Classic
Mighty-Tonkas (1964-1983), by
Mark A.Vaught, is currently out of
print. If we receive orders for 25
copies, we will reprint them. The
total cost is $40, which includes
printing, shipping and taxes. Send
checks and information to:
Westonka Historical Society
PO Box 84
Mound, MN 55364.
Your check will be returned if we
do not receive 25 orders by
December 1, 2013.
March 8 - The Geology of Lake Minnetonka- 11:00
Like most lakes in Minnesota, Lake Minnetonka was
formed during the Ice Age of the last two million years.
Glaciers crafterd the lake’s surface geology when they
retreated and dropped “drift” on the land, forming its
hills and lake basins. Join us to learn about its history
and why it’s called a “kettle” lake.
April 12 - Lester Soil - 11:00 (Tentative)
Lester soil is the State Soil of Minnesota, and some of it
is right here in our own backyard, in Minnetrista.
Lester is both agriculturally and ecologically important
to the state. We will learn about its formation and its
importance.
May 10 - Honoring veterans with Michael Eckers11:00 More details on all of these programs will be in
our next newsletter.
Westonka Historical Society Newsletter
Page 7
Westonka Historical Society
Pamela Myers, President
Mari-Lou Triebenbach, Secretary
Liz Vandam, Treasurer
Sue Cathers, Past President
Remember the history museum as you consider your
annual year-end donations to charity. Pam Myers , our
President, has adopted March for her WHS donations, since
it's her birthday month. Have you chosen a month to assure
that the lights are on and the heat/AC is sufficient to protect
the collection? Please consider regular monthly/annual
support for the museum. Send a note with your check saying
which month you are supporting.
The Westonka
Historical Society
is need of a few
volunteers
We now have a permanent museum, and with that museum
came the purchase of several computers, internet connection,
connections to a large scanner, video cameras in each room for
security and many more technology additions. We are in need
of a volunteer to “oversee” our “tech stuff.” Are you interested
in helping?
A volunteer installed Picassa for our family history files. Can
you volunteer an hour a week to scan photos and/or documents
into folders for family researchers to use?
And then of course, that great problem of “too many visitors.”
In the two locations that we previously shared with other
businesses, we have always required one monitor on our
Saturday’s that we were open. Now that we have a permanent
location, with several rooms on display, we have many more
visitors. We need several people to help with this. We would like
to have 2 - 4 people helping every Saturday from 10:00 - 2:00.
You don’t need to commit often, but even one or two Saturday’s
a year would help us out. Call 952.472.9800 if this is something
you could volunteer to do.
Board Members:
Gerald Babb
Vern Brandenburg
Jeanne Brustad
David Cross
Joyce Holcomb
Jeff Magnuson
Nancy Oestreich
Ron Pauly
Debi Tharalson/Heitz
Honorary Board Members:
Mary Opheim
Carol Senn
Sales:
Joyce Holcomb
Newsletter:
Jeanne Brustad, Editor
Pamela Myers, Proofreader
Liz Vandam, Contributor
952.474.1601
763.559.4961
612.384.3703
952.221.8265
952.472.2858
952.472.5820
952.471.7019
952.474.4898
952.472.3729
952.472.3653
952.471.0301
952.472.1809
952.472.1750
952.472.4610
763.473.1196
952.472.3729
952.471.7019
952.474.1601
612.384.3703
This newsletter is published 4 times a year and mailed to all members in
good standing. To receive a newsletter, contact Jeanne Brustad, Editor 952.471.7019 jlbrus@mchsi.com
Interested in membership in the
Westonka Historical Society?
Provide your name, address,
phone number and
email address to:
WHS - PO Box 84,
Mound, MN 55364
and choose a type of membership.
We are a
501(c)(3) organization.
Membership is a great gift to give.
And be sure to visit our museum
at 5341 Maywood Rd., Mound, MN
Open every Saturday
10:00 - 2:00
• Senior/Student. $15.
• Individual.......... $20.
• Family............... $25.
• Contributing...... $50.
• Business...........$100.
• Patron...............$125.
We always accept donations to
help with the expenses of our
museum!
PO Box 84
Mound, MN 55364
Reminder: The date on your address label is the “expiration” date of your membership in the WHS.
If you believe this date is incorrect, please contact Jeanne Brustad - 952-471-7019
Mailing Address: PO Box 84, Mound, MN 55364
http://www.WestonkaHistoricalSociety.org
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Westonka History Museum 952-472-9800
Museum Address:
5341 Maywood Road, Mound, MN 55364
Open Saturday 10:00 - 2:00 and by Appointment
Ways to help the Westonka Historical Society
Donate a gift in memory of a friend, family member or loved one.
Request that memorials be given to the Westonka Historical Society.
Celebrate a birthday, anniversary or special achievement by making a donation to the WHS to honor
someone.
Give a gift of membership to a resident of the area or former resident of the area.
Include the WHS in your estate planning.
Help to fund our permanent home for our museum with your time, talents or financial support.
Become a member of the Westonka Historical Society.
GiveMN.org accepts credit card donations 365 days a year, find Westonka Historical Society on the list.