Helena Bergen Klassen, Oct 2, 1898 – Jan 15, 1997, as discussed by her grandchildren via email. It all started when the girl cousins decided to get together for a weekend. Just listen to this:

Norma wrote:

What a weekend! Lots of laughter, some tears, conversation, hikes, cooking and eating, exchanging old family recipes (and eating foods like Aunt Helen's pickles!), playing dress-up from Grandma Klassen's tickle trunk, campfire chats, variations of Mennonite marguaritas and sangrias, some antique and quilt store shopping, sharing and taking pictures, sharing stories, more laughter, more tears, comparing beefs and bouquets about inherited DNA from our common gene pool, kibbutzing and some gentle sisterly squabbles ("Doreen, you are crossing the line onto my side of the bed," and "what did you do with Donna?"), some senior moment memory lapses, some completion of procrastinated work, lots of hugs, some bed antics (no, not that kind!), lots of trips down memory lane, and yes, some actual sleeping. Whoops! We didn't do any group singing! Was this really a Klassen gathering?? Oh yes, it had to be...  someone saved the spare crust of toast, and there were such long good-byes, and everyone showed signs of being opinionated and stubborn (no, that's being wonderfully assertive and determined!). It was most certainly a Klassen gathering to be remembered!

Debbie wrote:

I am enjoying these emails. After all these years, I feel I'm getting to know some of you for the first time. As we share about children and grandchildren, I can't help but think of Grandma and the huge family we have become.

I've often wondered how Grandma felt when another grandchild was added to the family. I vividly remember the day Kim was born. Grandma and Grandpa came out to the farm to help with the 5 of us while Mom went to the hospital. Grandma was standing at the stove cooking supper when I jumped off the school bus and burst into the kitchen announcing I FINALLY had a sister! In my mind, she just wasn't as excited as I was — but then I doubt anyone could have been!!

Can any of us imagine having 49 grandchildren? We added 2 more to our family this summer, making 11 grandchildren. This past Wednesday we became Great-grandparents. Chuck's oldest granddaughter and husband welcomed their first child. Each addition is so wonderful — but at times I'm overwhelmed thinking of Christmas and birthdays. How did Grandma feel?

My German is very, very rusty but in my mind I can hear Grandma saying, "Ach zu liebe zeit." (forgive any spelling errors) She told Darren one time, "My sister's children needed a mother." She had no idea what was ahead and certainly couldn't have imagined on her wedding day how many of us there would be.

Girls, we had the best grandmother. It's been a long time, but I still miss her.

Marlene wrote:

Wow, Debbie — you are way to young to be called Great-Grandma! Sounds like you are well on your way to having a large group of grandchildren and great-grandchildren, but probably not 49, eh??

I think we all have special memories of Grandma; she was one of a kind and I still miss her too. We talked about her a little when we were together, and wondered how she could remember not only all of her 49 grandchildren names, but also great and great-great grandchildren and their names. Someone said that she did it by remembering and naming each one in her prayers every night. Isn't that amazing?

Sandy always said that Grandma could talk to all of us about anything and everything, never judged us and always treated each one as if we were special. You're right — we did have the very best grandmother.

Sylvia wrote:

Congratulations! Here you are are having great grandchildren and I'm still trying to get a six and eight year to school on time. Somehow it seems hard to fathom. Grandma definitely made us all feel special. I can see you treating each grandchild and great grandchild with similar love and care. Enjoy this amazing time in your life!

Myrna wrote:

I know that Grandma held each new baby as if it was the first and I told her I noticed that. She said each one is the first and most special. She really was awsome. Harmony wished that her great grandmother was still alive when she had Austin because nobody loved a new baby like Grandma did and she wanted to share her son with her. Hopefully we can be just a bit like her and love as she did.

Marlene wrote:

Has anyone had success making Grandmas's jam-jams? They were the best cookie ever, always soft and with the perfect amount of jam between them. Are there a few differenct recipes kicking around that all came from Grandma, but might be slightly different? I tried making them a long time ago but couldn't get them right.

Donna wrote:

Oh Marlene you mentioned Grandma's jam jams .... I will never forget the moment after Grandma's funeral (we were all in the basement of the church) when the container of jam jams was opened — all grandchildren (though adults) dove into the container. It was a very special moment and a special memory for all of us — I think it made all of us remember a special moment when we shared a jam jam with Grandma. Though my daughters were quite young when Grandma died — they both remember how special they felt when they were with her, as my daughter Rochelle said when I told her of Grandma's passing — "she always made us the special cookies". Grandma had many gifts — but one of the best was how she was so attentive to everyone, making each person feel special.

And in talking about clothes, Myrna wrote:

Did you know that grandpa felt it was a bad reflection on a man if his wife was not dressed properly. He never wanted Grandma to have ripped clothes on even working at home. He wanted to show that respect for his wife. Wow. It had a great impact on Mom and she always wanted to make herself presentable and show her husband up as a respectful man. She still is presenting herself well, and she knows how to find a good deal that looks great.

Marlene wrote:

Well, as we are digging out of the white stuff in Alberta I got thinking — isn't it almost peppernut season? Seems a little early, but with snow on the ground... It was easy for us to see Grandma when we visited my folks in Waldheim, and she was always invited to spend the day and have a meal with us. Sometimes we would stop for a quick visit with her on our way back to Calgary. My kids remember at Christmas time she would give them (and Sandy) "peppernuts for the pocket" to eat on the way home to Calgary. A great Christmas memory for all of us!

Grace H. wrote:

A while back some one mentioned Grandma’s Jam Jam Cookies; does anyone have the recipe for them and any other recipes that you remember?

Donna wrote:

I think my mom might have Grandma's jam jam recipe — I will ask.

Majel wrote:

At the end when Grandma could not do much baking anymore, Mom was the one who usually had Grandma's cookie jar stocked with jam jams for guests to enjoy. My Mom was also the one who had made Grandma's jam jams for her funeral lunch.

Marlene wrote:

Now we know where to get the Jam Jam recipe — come on, cough it up for all of us to try!

On another note, I'm sure we all have a few older pictures somewhere within our families. I know that there are some wedding pictures of Grandpa and Grandma Helena. But has anyone seen or do you know if a wedding picture exists of Grandpa and Grandma Anganetha? I don't remember ever seeing one, and it sure would be interesting. Can you check with your families if you're in contact or seeing them over Christmas? Thanks!

Majel wrote:

No, Marlene I'm not holding out, glad to share the recipe, just busy and don't spend much time on email. This is the recipe that my mom had from Grandma.

Grandma's Jam Jam's

2 eggs
1 c. Syrup
1 c. Sugar
1 c. Butter
1/2 c. Hot water
2 t. Soda ( in water)
1 t. Ginger
1 t. Vanilla
Flour for a soft dough-approx. 5 - 51/2 c.

Cream butter and sugar. Add syrup, mix well. Add beaten eggs. Mix and add soda water. Add vanilla, ginger and flour. Roll out on floured board. Cut in circles. Bake at 350 for 8 - 10 min. Put 2 cookies together with raspberry jelly. My mom said she also kneeds in some more flour when she has the dough on the cutting board before she rolls it out. The cookies will soften once they have been in a closed container for a day or so. My mom said Grandma did not use lard. Be sure to stir in a whole lot of Grandma's love!

Grace wrote:

Hi — some of you shared special memories of Grandma during the time when emails were flying fast and furious amongst the Girl Cousins! I saved them in my Klassen Updates folder and now I'm asking you if we could add them to our family site. As we know, memories only last as long as we do unless they are captured in some way!

Marlene wrote:

Grace, I think that is a great idea, and I bet if you asked you'd get lots more to add. I wonder how the boys memories might be different than ours — a male perspective? Some of Gandma's children might like to contribute as well. I know that my Mom never thought of Grandma as a step-mother, she was her mother. I've often thought of those three little girls, Nettie, Tena and Marie being just 6, 5 and 3 when Aganetha died. And our wonderful Grandma becoming their new mother when she was only 20 years old. Wow!

Donna wrote:

Yes, you can share — I agree this may encourage others to share their many memories of Grandma as well as Grandpa — I for one will never forget grandpa's handshake :-).

Marlene wrote:

It's funny, until you mentioned grandpa's handshake I hadn't thought of that in long time. Or the stern look we sometimes got if we were running around and being a little too loud and rambunctious!

Donna wrote:

Yes, I remember that stern look too — yet, somehow, we always knew that he was soft and gentle on the inside. Even when he began to get more frail, he still had that firm handshake.

YOU wrote:

Oh. You haven't written yet! If YOU are reading this and you have a memory to add to this conversation, please send it to me! I'd love to publish it on this web site! Just email me at joyce@adria.ca.