MENKE FAMILY

Biopic of Johann Heinrich Mencke

2009-01-04T16:48:00.000-08:00

Born in western Germany in 1832, Johann Heinrich Mencke emigrated to the United States in 1850. He met and married Louisa Lobach, another immigrant, and he found work in a livery stable in St Louis, Missouri.

Johann Heinrich Mencke was the grandfather Dr Dave Menke's grandfather, Oscar Menke (1888-1972). However, it has become clear through various family stories that the first-born son of Johann became estranged from him. He even "Americanized" his name and made changes, becoming "John Henry Menke," and even dropped the "c" from name.

Apparently, Johann had some skill with horses, worked for livery stables, then saved enough money to start his own livery company. Johann had chosen to live in St Louis as he was sponsored by Mencke cousins who lived there in the German "ghetto" of the time - South St Louis. Ironically, Johann bought property on Chouteau Avenue in downtown St Louis for his livery. Many years later, his grandson, Oscar Menke, bought property on that same block for the Menke Printing Company.

Johann's oldest son was a disappointment to him, as he had married too young, then divorced with a child, and then later married the daughter of a dirt farmer from Illinois. Family stories say that Johann, his wife, his other kids, were "too good" for Henry John Menke. There is also a story that Louis Lobach Menke was a "witch."

The Johann Heinrich Mencke branch of the family seemed to fade away over time. It is believed that Johann died in 1906, leaving his worldly goods to another son, Lewis.

Mini Biopics of Russell Menke, Marvin Menke, Harry Menke, and Richard Menke - Grandchildren of Henry John Menke

2009-01-03T13:50:00.000-08:00

Dr Dave Menke's great-grandfather, Henry John Menke (1854-1911) had six children with Philippina Ottwein Menke (1861-1937) that lived to adulthood. Only three of those, in turn, had children: Fred Menke (1885-1960), Oscar Menke (1888-1972), and Harry Menke (1902-1988).

As mentioned in Fred Menke's biopic, he and his wife had two children: Russell Menke, who died as a child, and Marvin Menke (1930-1994).

Marvin Menke had a number of simple jobs after he grew up. Plus, his parents left a trust for Marvin which paid Marvin a few hundred dollars per month. Later in life, Marvin got a job as the custodian for a local YMCA in the St Louis area. He also met and married a divorced lady who had a child. It is not known if Marvin adopted the boy. When Marvin passed away, his trust was divided into two parts. One part went to one of the grandsons (Stephen A Menke) of Fred Menke's brother, Oscar, and the other part went to the other grandson (David H Menke). In other words, Stephen and David each got about $20,000.

Oscar Menke had two children: Wilbert A Menke (1914-1972) and Dorothy Menke (1921-1981). Their biopics are already published.

Harry Menke had two sons: Harry (1930-) and Richard (1934-). Harry ("Little Harry") grew up in St Louis, got a college degree in engineering, then got a civililan job with the U.S. Navy. He worked most of his profesional life as a civilian engineer for the Navy, and lived in the Dallas area. Harry married and had two daughters, who have now grown up and have lives of their own. Harry and his wife retired to Colorado where they purchased a small "mom and pop" motel near the Rockies.

Richard Menke also grew up, got a college degree, and spent his career in accounting and economics for various companies. Richard married, but later divorced, and had no children. He lives north of St Louis.

Biopic of Philippina Ottwein Menke

2009-01-02T16:59:00.000-08:00

Dr Dave Menke has a great grandfather named Henry John Menke (1854-1911). Henry's wife, and Dr Dave's great grandmother, is Philippina Ottwein Menke (1861-1937). Her picture is on this blog.

Philippina was the 2nd of 5 children of Karl Ottwein (1838-1910) and Philippina Shroeder (1840-1895). Philippina's other siblings included Mary Ottwein (1860-1930), Valentine Ottwein (1863-1893), Oscar Ottwein (1865-1945), and George Ottwein (1870-1960).

Philippina grew up on the family farm in Troy, Illinois, where it still is. A day laborer, John Henry Menke, used to work on their farm, and she fell in love with him. They married in 1881 and moved to St Louis. John and Philippina had 7 children: George, Fred, Oscar, Augustina, Lillian, Walter, and Harry. Only Augustina did not live to adulthood. She died at age 2 years old.

Philippina outlived her husband by 26 years. As a result, she lived with several of her children. The last family that she lived with was with Walter and Pearl. There is a family photo of Philippina in a swimming suit in the 1920's in a Ford with her children and grandchildren. The story is that Philippina fell down a flight of stairs at the home of Walter and Pearl Menke in 1937 and died.

Biopic of Henry John Menke

2009-01-02T16:13:00.000-08:00

Dr Dave Menke's maternal grandfather was Oscar A Menke. And Oscar's father was Henry John Menke (1854-1911), who was born as Johann Heinrich Mencke, Jr, the son of Johann Heinrich Mencke (1820-1885) and Louise Lohman (1830-1905), in Kirkwood, Missouri (a suburb of St Louis, Missouri), in 1854. The photo here is of Henry John Menke in 1890.

Johann Heinrich and his wife had emigrated to the United States in 1852 to begin a new life. Their first child was Johann Heinrich Mencke, Jr.

The younger Johann Heinrich had "issues" with his father and mother, and moved to Illinois to work on a farm. He then changed his name to an American type name of Henry John Menke, dropping the "c" in the name. While Johann Heinrich Menke had several livery stables in the St Louis area, Henry John Menke worked as a driver (teamster) for Lemp's Brewery in St Louis.

Henry John met and married a lady and they had a daughter, Matilda Menke, born in 1878. But he divorced her and when to work on a farm in Troy, Illinois, where he met, and married, the farmer's daughter, Philippina Ottwein.

Henry John Menke and his wife, Philippina, had seven children. Six of the children lived to adulthood: George, Fred, Oscar, Lillian, Walter, and Harry. Only Augusta did not live past age two.

Henry John became an alcoholic and eventually died of cirrosis of the liver in 1911.

Biopic of Wilbert Allen Menke

2009-01-02T15:37:00.000-08:00

Dr Dave Menke's mother, Dorothy Menke (1921-1981), had an older brother, Wilbert Allen Menke (1914-1972), aka "Bert." For any reader following the family trend, most, if not all, of Oscar Menke's brothers had the middle name of "Allen." Oscar's son has the same middle name. Oscar's grandson, Stephen Menke (who is also Dr Dave Menke's brother) also has that middle name, as does the son of Stephen Menke. No genealogical reason can be determined why "Allen" was used.

Bert Menke was born in St Louis, Missouri, on December 18, 1914, some four years after the marriage of his parents, Oscar A. Menke (1888-1972) and Bess Menke (1889-1972). In later years, Bess Menke confided that the childbirth process for her to give birth to Wilbert was so painful and uncomfortable, she decided to have NO MORE children. Luckily, she gave birth to Dorothy Menke 7 years later.

Bert was a highly intelligent and precocious child. He often stood in a "pose" that resembled today's rappers. (see the photograph as the main picture for this Blog). As a child, Bert took piano lessons, and learned how to play the piano like a maestro - like Tchaikovsky himself. His parents bought a grand piano for him to play on, and it remained in the living room of the Menke home from 1927 until 1972. Bert was so "bright" that he graduated from Webster Groves High School at age 16, two years before his same age cohorts. He then went to the University of Missouri at Rolla, Missouri, where he earned a B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering, graduating at age 19. As a chemist, he learned to make "bathtub gin" so during his days at college, during prohibition, he never lacked for ethanol to drink.

After graduating college, he worked for several years as a chemical engineer at DuPont and then Monsanto Chemical, both near St Louis, Missouri.

World War II intervened, and Bert signed up with the U.S. Navy as a Naval Aviator. He flew a number of sorties in the Pacific Theatre against Japan, but was shot down. After that, his injury prevented more flying, so he was tapped as a flight instructor for other Naval Aviators. He looked pretty cool in his uniform, as a Navy Lieutenant.

After World War II was over, Bert's father, Oscar, wanted to retire. So, Bert didn't return to working in chemical plants. He became the President of the Menke Printing Company, and over the next 15 years made millions for himself and his father. Bert was a wonderful businessman and salesman. He married Ruby Tango in 1946, but they never had any children. Later we learned that Ruby's womb was not shaped properly.

Bert and Ruby were a great pair. They loved to go out and play, and they enjoyed getting drunk as often as possible. Sadly, over time, they became hard core alcoholics (and heavy smokers) causing their early deaths. And Bert drank himself into poverty, ruining the Menke Printing Company. He had owned a lake in Missouri, an airplane, expensive cars, and so forth. When he got "tired" of his wife, Ruby, he divorced her and married another woman, dying a few years later.

As family goes, Bert was the nephew of George Menke (1882-1932), Fred Menke (1885-1960), Lillian Menke (1894-1984), Walter Menke (1897-1967), and Harry Menke (1902-1988). Bert was very much like his uncle, George Menke (1882-1932). Both were drunks. Both were hard working but hard spending. Both had mean streaks. Both got divorced. Both died due to their bad habits. Both died broke. Bert's nephews used to refer to him as "Drunkle Bert" instead of "Uncle Bert."

Biopic of Harry A Menke

2009-01-02T13:52:00.000-08:00

Dr Dave's maternal grandfather, Oscar Menke (1888-1972) was the 3rd son of Henry Menke. His youngest brother, Harry A. Menke (1902-1988), was the 5th son, and last child, of Henry John Menke (1854-1911) and Philippina Ottwein Menke (1861-1937), and was born in St Louis.

In spite of Oscar and Harry being 14 years apart, for whatever genetic reasons, Oscar and Harry were "twins." They looked identical, although Oscar did look a little older. They also had the same voice. It was eerie and uncanny.

Harry was the baby of the family, and when he was quite young, his older brothers, George, Fred, and Oscar, used to toss him around as if he had been a football or something! Harry grew up under the protective umbrella of his older brothers, as well as the over-protective actions of his sister, Lillian.

Harry met a lady, Helen Vokurka (1900-80) and they married. Like Oscar, Harry moved to Webster Groves, a suburb of St Louis. Like Oscar, Harry started his own printing company. Like Oscar, Harry's printing company was in the same building as Oscar's company. In fact, Harry rented space on the top floor of a building owned by his brother, Oscar. Like Oscar, Harry and his wife had two children. However, both of Harry's children were boys: Harry Menke (1930-) known as "Little Harry," and Richard Menke (1934-) known as "Dick."

When Harry's sister, Lillian, died in 1984, she left most of her estate to Harry. Near the end of his life, Harry and Helen lived in a Lutheran-based assisted living facility in Webster Groves. When Harry passed away, his estate went to his two sons and his two granddaughters.

Biopic of Walter Allen Menke

2009-01-02T13:43:00.000-08:00

Dr Dave's maternal grandfather, Oscar Menke (1888-1972) was the 3rd son of Henry Menke. His younger brother, Walter A. Menke (1897-1967), was the 4th son of Henry John Menke (1854-1911) and Philippina Ottwein Menke (1861-1937), and was born in St Louis.

Like both Oscar and Fred, Walter was a very convivial person. And a hard worker. He began working as a sales representative for various shoe companies, most notably "Buster Brown" shoes. He amassed $1 million during his lifetime.

Walter met and married a lovely red-headed woman named Pearl Greer (1900-1965). Everyone called her "Red," except for the children! Walter and Pearl had a wonderful marriage, very loving and romantic. They had no children. Family rumor is that Pearl didn't want to lose her sexy figure by having kids.

Walter and Pearl lived a fabulous life style. They moved to California in the 1940's and lived in Hollywood. They traveled a lot, had luxury cars, and fine clothes. It is interesting to note that during Walter's career in the shoe business, he had met Dr Dave Menke's first father-in-law, Al Bornstein, on a number of occasions, as Al Bornstein was in the same business (but with a competitive company).

Walter and Oscar were not only brothers, but "best buddies." They did lots of stuff together, even though Oscar was 9 years older. They both worked hard and became wealthy businessmen. They also travelled together often, on vacations, with their wives - on train trips, ocean cruises, or anywhere. They always had a great time together.

Pearl died in 1965 and Walter lasted only two more years, dying in his spacious Hollywood home in 1967. When he died, Walter left most of his sizeable estate to his sister Lillian Menke (1894-1984).

Biopic of Lillian Menke

2009-01-02T13:35:00.000-08:00

Dr Dave's maternal grandfather, Oscar Menke (1888-1972) was the 3rd son of Henry Menke. His sister, Lillian Menke (1894-1984), was the only surviving daughter of Henry John Menke (1854-1911) and Philippina Ottwein Menke (1861-1937), and was born in St Louis.

Lillian was a fun-loving, and mischievous young lady. She got married in 1917 to a man named Joseph Doerr (1890-1966), a dental supply agent. Most of the Bavarian China that was a wedding gift to them in 1917 is now owned by Dr Dave Menke.

Lillian and Joe had a good life, but no children, as Joe Doerr was sterile. He had spent too much time around dental x-ray equipment, and it fried his balls.

Lillian and Joseph left St Louis in the late 1940's and moved to Los Angeles, where they could enjoy sunnier skies and warmer winters. They were close to Lillian's brother, Walter Menke (1897-1967) as they both lived in Los Angeles. In fact, when Walter Menke passed away, he left most of his estate to Lillian. Thus, she was a rather wealthy woman.

After almost 50 years of marriage, Joseph died, and a few years later, in 1972, Lillian married widower Lee Smith (1892-1982). They were married by a Mormon Bishop. That marriage ended in Lee's death in 1982, and she passed two years later. Lillian left most of her estate to her surviving brother, Harry A Menke (1902-1988).

Biopic of Fred A Menke

2009-01-02T12:43:00.000-08:00

Dr Dave's maternal grandfather, Oscar Menke (1888-1972) was the 3rd son of Henry Menke. His older brother, Fred A. Menke (1885-1960), was the 2nd son of Henry John Menke (1854-1911) and Philippina Ottwein Menke (1861-1937), and was born in St Louis in 1885.

Fred was a friendly old soul, and everyone liked him. When he grew up, he got a job as an insurance salesman, and that's where he stayed until he retired. Later in life, he always played "Santa Claus" for all the Menke family during Christmas.

Fred met and married a lady named Kate Macklin (1890-1954) and they had two children. Russell Menke (1914-1917), the first child, was said to be a beautiful child who could "swear like a drunken sailor." Sadly, he caught scarlet fever and died before he was three years old. At that point, Fred and Kate decided to have no more children, as the pain of loss was so great. However, Fred's wife, Kate, got pregnant again, and she did all that she could to abort the child. To no avail, Marvin Menke was born when his mother was in her 40's in 1935. As it turned out, Marvin Menke (1935-1988) was always a little "slow." As no professional psychologist or psychiatrist ever examined Marvin, it is difficult to know for sure if he were mentally challenged, stupid, or just "slow."

Fred outlived Kate by 6 years, and died the day after Christmas, 1960.

Biopic of George A Menke

2009-01-02T12:36:00.000-08:00

Dr Dave Menke's maternal grandfather, Oscar Menke, was the 3rd son of Henry and Philippina Menke. Oscar's oldest brother, George A Menke (1882-1932) was the 2nd child and 1st son of Henry John Menke (1854-1911). George was the first child of Philippina Ottwein Menke (1861 - 1937). George was born in St. Louis.

George was a fun-loving guy, and was the oldest of the Menke clan. His older half-sister, Matilda Menke (1880-1952), was raised by her own mother and a stepfather, so she was not involved very much with George and his younger siblings.

George had a stocky build, and had a mean streak in him. As he got older, he became addicted to alcohol, and spent much of his life drunk. He was married once, to a woman named "Mary," aka "Mimi," but they had no children, and the divorced.

The story is told that from the early 1900's until his death, he would pack the trunk of his car with ice and lots of beer. He would then drive from St. Louis across the river into Illinois, and to the family farm (his mother's family) in the town of Troy. There, he would sit around under the large oak trees with his cousins and other relatives, and drink until all the beer was gone. Then he got back in his car and drove home.

Mini Biopics of Stephen Menke, Jr; Adrienne Menke; and Kendra Menke

2009-01-02T06:25:00.000-08:00

Dr Dave Menke's brother, Stephen Menke, had three children: Stephen, Jr. (1966-); Adrienne (1968-), and Kendra (1971-) Menke. They are the children of Stephen Menke, Sr. (1944-) and Bette Smith (1944-). All three were born in the region of St Louis, Missouri. No photos are available at this time.

Like NBC journalist Tom Brokaw and political activist Jesse Jackson, Stephen Allen Menke, Jr., was born with a cleft lip and palate. Numerous subsequent surgeries all but erased the physiological error. However, young Steve's voice has always been a bit "nasal." Stephen was raised in the shadow of his father, who is somewhat of a perfectionist. As he grew up, he first admired and adored his father, but later in life, became antagonistic to and estranged from him. Stephen was married and divorced twice, and now lives as a single person, working in the St. Louis area. His birthdate is February 19.

Adrienne Marie Menke was born in the back seat of her father's car, delivered by a paramedic when Stephen Menke, Sr., pulled into a firehouse for help. She was born on July 1. Adrienne grew up as a cute, but spoiled bratty girl, who looked very much like her father. As a teen, she ran away from her father's custody and moved in with her mother who lived in Memphis, Tennessee. Eventually Adrienne became a very nice young lady, graduated high school, then attended and earned her degree from Christian Brothers University. She met and married her high school sweetheart, S. Craig Stone, (1967-) and they all moved to Las Vegas about 1993 when her husband became an attorney. They have three children: Brandon (1996-), Kelsey (1999), and Jared (2002).

Kendra Elizabeth Menke was born on September 9. She, too, had a cleft lip and palate which was surgically improved over time, but leaving her with a nasal voice. Kendra was the "baby" of the family and was rather shy and quiet, following her sister around. As a teen, she, too, ran away to live with her mother in Memphis. Later she married Glen Stevens (1970-) and had two children; they reside in the Memphis area.

Micro Biopic of Luke-Adam Menke

2009-01-01T17:13:00.000-08:00

Luke-Adam Foreman Menke is the 6th child of Dr Dave Menke (1951-), and his 4th son. Luke-Adam was born in New York in late 1997. His biological parents never married, and after a year or so, pretty much had abandoned him to his maternal grandparents. In 1999, Dr Dave Menke and his wife came along and decided to bring this wonderful young man into their home as a foster son. In a short time, they adopted him and he became an integral part of the family of Dr Dave Menke and his wife, Gail Menke (1965-).

Luke-Adam grew up in Florida until he moved to Arizona just before he turned 10 years old. Extremely bright and energetic, it didn't take long for Luke-Adam to make friends and for him to do very well in school.

Luke-Adam developed interests in math, science, soccer, and computer science. In many ways, he is like his brother, Jake Menke (1977-).

Mini Biopic of Jeremiah Menke

2009-01-01T17:08:00.001-08:00

Jeremiah Joseph Menke, aka "Jeremy," was born on the lucky day of 7-11 in 1985. His parents, Dr Dave Menke (1951-), and JoAnn Bornstein (1951-), were living in Connecticut at the time. Jeremiah was the 5th and last child of David Menke and JoAnn Bornstein.

Jeremiah always had an irascible and determined nature. He had to fight for his position among the 4 other Menke kids.

He was rather close to his sister, Hannah (1980-), while he was growing up, and he also looked up to his brother Jake (1977-) quite a bit. The photograph here shows Jeremy with his sister, Hannah.

After high school, Jeremiah lived in Jamaica for a time while doing religious work. Upon his return, he elected to skip college and try to make a go of it in the working world. Unfortunately, he rarely kept a job more than a few weeks, and instead, spent most of his time sponging off others. Even so, he always had a really good reason for why he could not work and why everyone else needed to support him.

Mini Biopic of Rachel Laura Menke

2009-01-01T16:56:00.001-08:00

Rachel Laura Menke was the 4th child of Dr Dave Menke (1951-) and JoAnn Bornstein (1951-). Rachel was born in New Britain, Connecticut on October 8, 1982.

Rachel grew up a rather shy and quiet young lady. She transferred high schools and accelerated her academic work where she graduated a year and a half early. Rachel became pregnant and had her daughter, Lexi (2001-), before marrying Lexi's father. Rachel went on to earn an Associate's Degree with honor at a local community college, and she got a full scholarship to attend a University where she graduated a couple years later. Rachel and her husband separated in 2004 and shortly after she bought her own house. Her long time boyfriend, Brandon Maloney (1983-) moved in after about a year.

While she was in College Rachel worked as a waitress, then after graduation, became a Realtor. She has worked at 2 different radio stations currently as an Account Executive. Brandon moved in right after I closed on the house and was born in 1983.

The photo here is of Rachel and her daughter, Lexi.

You can find out more about Rachel and her family at her e-blog spot: http://www.hartless1.blogspot.com

Mini Biopic of Hannah Elizabeth Menke

2009-01-01T16:47:00.000-08:00

Hannah Elizabeth Menke, the third child of Dr Dave Menke (1951-) and JoAnn Bornstein (1951-), was named after the righteous mother of Samuel the prophet, and for her great grandmother, Elizabeth Menke. The photograph here is of Hannah and her daughter, Madeline (2001-).

Born 10-30-80 in Cedar City, Utah, Hannah grew up a very vivacious and energetic young lady. Even so, she didn't eat very much.

After high school, Hannah decided to take the job-work route, rather than college, and had a variety of different jobs over the years. In December 2001, she gave birth to Madeline, having never married the father of the child. In 2008 she moved in with her long-time boyfriend, Shane Moncada (1965-).

For more information about Hannah, visit her on Facebook or on MySpace. Or call her, toll-free, at 1-800-HANNAH1. Just kidding.

Mini Biopic of Jacob Menke

2009-01-01T07:44:00.000-08:00

Jacob Abraham Menke was born October 19, 1977 in Santa Monica, California. The 2nd child of Dr Dave Menke(1951-) and JoAnn Bornstein (1951-), Jake grew up in the shadow of his older brother, Joshua (1976-). However, by the time Jacob turned 12, he began to eclipse his brother as more of a spokesperson and leader. Always a hard worker, Jacob had saved up over $12,000 by the time he had graduated from high school.

When Jake turned 19, he went off to live for two years in Buenos Aires, Argentina while serving his church. When he returned home, he labored hard to finish his B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering, and then worked to get a career started in business.

Jacob met a young lady, Sheena Parish, and they married in July 2005. They are now proud parents of two girls, Lila (2006-) and Launi (2008-).

Jacob and his family live in Lehi, Utah. To learn more about Jacob and his family, go to his family website: http://www.menkefam.blogspot.com.

Mini Biopic of Joshua Menke

2009-01-01T07:32:00.002-08:00

Joshua Ephraim Menke was born June 2, 1976. He is the first child of Dr Dave Menke (1951-) and JoAnn Bornstein (1951-).

Josh grew up as a very energetic and curious boy, but after the age of 12, he withdrew more into himself. Even so, he excelled in academics and went on to earn a PhD in Computer Science after having completed a 2 year religious mission for the Mormon Church.

Joshua married Maren Jensen (1972-) in 1999 and had three children: Aria Menke (2001-), Andie (2004-), and Arwen (2008-).

More about Joshua and his family may be seen by going to http://picasaweb.google.com/joshua.menke

Biopic of Elizabeth Helena Meyer Menke

2009-01-01T07:09:00.000-08:00

Elizabeth "Bess" Helena Meyer was the maternal grandmother of David Menke. Bess Menke was born Elizabeth Helena Meyer on October 19, 1889. Her father was a riverboat captain on the Mississippi River. One of her brothers drown in the river at the age of 13. Another brother served in World War I. As a teen and young woman, Bess worked in a hat factory. She met her future husband, Oscar Menke (1888-1972) at the St Louis World's Fair in 1903. A Catholic, she had to secretly elope to marry her Lutheran husband.

The image in this blog shows Bess with her beloved husband, Oscar, in 1965.

Bess was a fun-loving lady. After marriage, she had two children, Wilbert Allen Menke (1914-1972) and Dorothy Lillian Menke (1921-1981). Although her husband made really good money and bought her furs and jewelry, she was content to wear an old house dress, and never drove a car. While she enjoyed some of the world trips she made, she preferred a summer vacation on a lake in Minnesota.

Devoted to her family, Bess always put herself last. She suffered a stroke in 1971 and was placed in a hospice so that she could be cared for by trained professionals. She finally passed away on May 6, 1972.

Biopic of Oscar Allen Menke

2008-12-31T20:13:00.000-08:00

The maternal grandfather of David Menke was Oscar Allen Menke, who was born April 26, 1888 in St Louis, Missouri. He was the 3rd child of Henry (1854-1911) and Philippina Menke (1861-1937). Four more children came after Oscar.

Oscar and his large family were fairly poor and didn't always have a lot to eat. The family needed for Oscar to work, so he went only up through the 8th grade. As a boy, he worked for Lemp's Brewery putting bottle caps on. Oddly, he never did become a drinker, nor did he smoke.

His picture here was taken about 1918, when he was 30 years old.

In 1903, he met his future wife, Elizabeth Helena Meyer (1889-1972), while he was working at the St Louis World's Fair. They dated for 7 years, then eloped to the next county. As a young man, he worked for Skinner-Kennedy Printing, and later saved up enough money to start his own business: The Menke Printing Company (1921-1966). Oscar and his wife had two children: Wilbert Allen Menke (1914-1972) and Dorothy Lillian Menke (1921-1981)

Oscar worked hard and made a good deal of money. He was able to buy some land and build a beautiful home on it, paying for all of it in cash. He was never in debt, and invested wisely in stocks, bonds, real estate, and other instruments. Because of this, he was able to wear expensive clothes, drive a series of luxury automobiles, (including a 1923 Buick Touring Car, 1929 Buick Model 27, 1936 Buick Roadmaster, 1942 Oldsmobile 98, 1947 Oldsmobile Club Sedan, 1951 Cadillac Sedan de Ville, 1957 Cadillac Fleetwood, 1961 Coupe de Ville, and his final car, a 1967 Cadillac Calais Coupe), and travel the world with his wife in his later years. He left a sizeable estate upon his death on May 6, 1972.

Oscar was an avid lake fisherman and loved playing gin rummy. He also really enjoyed listening to the radio of the games of the St Louis Cardinals baseball team.

Mini-Biopics of Erin, Kathleen, and Carol MacAleney

2008-12-31T19:05:00.001-08:00

Erin (1958-), Kathleen (1960-), and Carol (1964-) are daughters of John MacAleney (1911-1979), and thus, half sisters of Dr Dave Menke (1951-). They are mentioned here briefly because they are Dr Dave's siblings. However, more information about them, and their families, will be detailed in a different blog related to the MacAleney family alone.

Erin Elizabeth MacAleney, known as "Bitsy," was born and raised in St Louis, Missouri. She earned college degrees in Chemistry, then met a man and got married. Erin and her husband have three children and live near St Louis in Pontoon Beach, Illinois (across the Mississippi River).

Kathleen Anne MacAleney, known as "Annie," was also born and raised in St Louis, Missouri. She skipped college, got a job, met a man and got married. Kathleen and her husband have one child and live in St Louis.

Carol Jeanne MacAleney, known as "Jeannie," was also born and raised in St Louis, Missouri. at the age of 2 1/2 she developed scarlet fever. Before she was able to get medical treatment, the illness caused permanent brain damage due to a high fever. As a result, she has spent most of her life in a State facility.

Biopic of Stephen Allen Menke

2008-12-31T18:28:00.000-08:00

Stephen Allen Menke was born December 20, 1944, in St Louis, Missouri. His parents were Marshal Borcherts (1920? - ?) and Dorothy Menke (1921-1981).

Steve's father left when Steve was about 6 months old. At that point, he and his mother, Dorothy, went to live with his maternal grandparents, Oscar (1888-1972) and Bess (1889-1972) Menke. A picture of Steve shows how he appeared in 2007.

Steve's mother re-married when Steve was 5 years old; the man's name was John MacAleney (1911-1979); and they moved to another home. About a year later, Steve's mother gave birth to a boy, Steve's half brother, David MacAleney (1951-).

Steve did not get along with his stepfather, and after Steve's mother, Dorothy, divorced her second husband, John, Steve didn't seem to get along with his mother or little brother. At age 14, Steve moved permanently in with his maternal grandparents, Oscar and Bess Menke, where he remained through high school and beyond.

Steve married a woman named Bette Smith (1944-) and they had a son in February 1966. Steve and Bette had two more children, but then divorced about 1972.

Steve met and married a woman named Denise in 1981. A number of years later, they bought a home on Lake Montowese where they retired. Steve has always been interested in cars, and he owns several older autos that he has or will refurbish, such as a 1930 Model A Ford, a 1929 Ford Roadster, and a 1956 Ford Thunderbird.

Biopic of Dorothy Lillian Menke

2008-12-31T18:08:00.000-08:00

Dorothy Lillian Menke was born on September 29, 1921, at her home in St Louis, Missouri. Her parents were Oscar Allen Menke (1888-1972) and Elizabeth Helena Meyer (1889-1972). Her brother, Wilbert Allen Menke (1914-1972) was the only other child in the home. Dorothy's middle name was to honor her paternal aunt, Lillian Menke (1894-1986).

In the photo, one can see Dorothy, her son, David, and her husband, John MacAleney.

At the age of six, Dorothy's family moved into a new home in Webster Groves, Missouri (a suburb of St Louis). Dorothy's father was a businessman who owned his own printing company. Most of the printing done by Menke Printing was advertising, and Dorothy was often a "model" featured in the printed ads.

Dorothy was born with straight hair, but when her maternal grandmother was dying in 1923, she ran her fingers through Dorothy's hair, and two months later Dorothy's hair became as curly as her grandmother's.

Dorothy graduated from Webster Groves High School in 1940, and then went to Stephens College, an all-women's school. Dorothy wanted to become an actress and was quite good. However, her parents didn't want her to be an actress, so they pulled her out of school and put her to work in the family business as a secretary.

Dorothy met a man, Marshal Borcherts (1920? -?) in 1942 and got married. They had a child, Stephen, but then separated in 1945. Stephen was raised by his mother and grandparents.

In 1950, Dorothy met and married John MacAleney (1911-1979), and they had a son, David. Dorothy and John divorced in 1957 and Dorothy became a single parent again. She and David lived at 339 Redwood Drive, Webster Groves until 1968. Dorothy worked as a sales lady most of that time.

In 1968, Dorothy moved to Hawaii, met a Hawaiian man, Kimo Kahue (1925? -?) and married him. They were married for 6 years before separating.

For much of Dorothy's life, she was a heavy smoker and an alcoholic. She joined A.A. in 1973 and remained sober the last 8 years of her life.

Dorothy died of heart failure in 1981 in her adopted home of Hawaii but was buried in the family "plot" near St Louis, Missouri.

Biopic of John H. MacAleney, father of Dr Dave Menke

2008-12-31T17:39:00.000-08:00

John Hillis MacAleney was born May 31, 1911 in Springfield, Illinois. He was the son of Edward and Elsie MacAleney.

(John is NOT a Menke, but is included here only because he is the father of Dr Dave Menke. Further information about John MacAleney and his family will be found in a blog about the MacAleney family).

The photo shows John MacAleney, Dorothy Menke, and David Menke in late 1953.

John grew up in a rough household, running away from home at age 16. When he was 18, he got married for the first time. That marriage was annulled after a year, and later he married again. His second wife died of a brain tumor. Then in 1950, he married Dorothy Menke and they had one child, David Menke.

John and Dorothy were divorced in 1957, and John re-married, having 3 daughters. John died of emphysema and heart problems in 1979.

John spent most his career, from 1931 - 1972, in the armed forces. First, he was in the Illinois National Guard. Then, in 1941, he was transferred to the United States Army where he worked in the Air Corps. After World War II, John became part of the Air Force and was a quartermaster and Master Sergeant.

Biopic of Dr Dave Menke

2008-12-31T14:17:00.000-08:00

Dr. Dave Menke was born the son of John MacAleney (1911-1979) & Dorothy Menke (1921-1981), and raised in the state of Missouri, in and around the city of St. Louis. He has one older half brother, Steve, and three younger half sisters, Erin, Kathleen, and Carol. All of these relatives continue to live near St. Louis, Missouri.

After high school, Dave enrolled at the University of California at Los Angeles, and over the next eleven years, earned bachelor’s degrees in physics, astronomy, math, and chemistry; master’s degrees in physics, geophysics, astrophysics, and the art of teaching physics; a teaching credential, and a PhD in Science Education.

During college, Dave dated a one JoAnn Bornstein (1951-) for four years, and then they were married in 1973. Over the course of their marriage, David & JoAnn had five children: Joshua (1976-), Jacob (1977-), Hannah (1980-), Rachel (1982-), and Jeremiah (1985-).

David and JoAnn separated in 1994. Two years later, Dr Dave married Gail Ann Foreman (1965-). David and Gail have one child, Luke-Adam, born in 1997.

Raised a Presbyterian, Dave became a Mormon in 1970, and is still active in that Church.

During his career, Dr. Menke has served as a public school teacher, community college instructor, and university professor. He has worked full time at such institutions as California State University, Northridge; Southern Utah University; Central Connecticut University; Broward Community College, and the College of Southern Nevada. Much of his career was also spent as an academic administrator of public observatories and planetariums.

After Dr Menke’s “retirement” in 2000, he has written books and worked in various high schools and colleges. Currently, Dr Menke is a Professor of Science & Mathematics at Brown Mackie College and is a Professor of Physics & Astronomy at Pima Community College. Both of these colleges are in Tucson, Arizona.

Dr Menke serves as the First Vice-President and COO of the International Planetarium Directors Congress. As a world traveler, Dr. Menke has served as leader of many expeditions, including observations of eclipses and comets – on land and at sea. Dr Menke speaks, reads, and / or writes 20 languages.

Four of Dr Menke’s children have kids of their own, resulting in 7 grandchildren.

Dr Menke’s wife is an elementary school teacher and mental health counselor.

INTRODUCTION TO MENKE FAMILY

2008-12-31T09:21:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the Menke Family Blog ...

This Blog is historically the first of any Menke Blog on the Network. As such, it shall deal with members of the Menke Family, past, present, and future, and may include the names of Menke Family members who have their own separate blogs (e.g., http://www.menkefam@blogspot.com).

The image in this Blog includes the author with his two daughters and one of his daughters' girlfriends.

The Title Image on this Blog is a photograph of the Menke Home in February 1930. The three people in the picture - from left to right - are: Elizabeth Helena Meyer Menke (1889-1972), and her two children, Dorothy Lilllian Menke (1921-1981) and Wilbert Allen Menke (1914-1972). The photograph was taken by Oscar Allen Menke (1888-1972), the husband of Elizabeth and father of both Dorothy and Wilbert.

The location of the photograph is at 315 South Maple Avenue, Webster Groves, St. Louis County, Missouri. This is a suburb of the City of St. Louis, Missouri. The 2-parcel piece of land was purchased in 1923 by Oscar Menke and the home was built on this north half of the parcel, with completion in 1927. The home was made of brick, stone, and the finest woods (mahogany, oak, and others).

The author of this Blog, Dr Dave Menke (1951-) is the second child of Dorothy Menke.

The topics of the Blog will be restricted to those Menke Family members, with allusion to other relatives. However, this is not a genealogy blog of each and every antecedant of Dr Dave Menke. Rather, this Blog deals only with Dr Dave Menke's direct Menke ancestors, and his Menke descendants, with mention of others. For example, Dr Dave Menke's father's family is named "MacAleney" and may be mentioned, but not covered extensively in this Blog. Dr Dave Menke's maternal grandmother's family is named "Meyer" and again, will not be covered in THIS Blog.

Any comments or questions may be sent to Dr Dave Menke at DrDHMenke@aol.com