A Brunken Cousin Family Reunion was held April 13-15, 2018 in the Stone Castle Hotel & Conference Center at Branson, Missouri.
- WHAT: Oklahoma Brunken Cousins
- LEFT TO RIGHT: Audrey Lee (Lindorfer) Hamilton, Dale Kirmse, Alan Brunken, Darrel Kletke, Donna (Kirmse)(Frazer) Martin, Delane Brunken, Janice (Kletke) Sonnenberg, Judy (Kirmse) Yordi, Glenda (Brunken) Dixon, Phillip Kletke, Lavila (Brunken) (Smith) Testerman, Gary Brunken
- WHEN: April 2018
- WHERE: Branson, Missouri
- SOURCE: Lavila
All but three of the living Oklahoma Brunken Cousins attended.
Visiting
A large room was available throughout the reunion..
Family members visited in the meeting room throughout the reunion and exchanged family stories.
- LEFT TO RIGHT: Glenda (Brunken) Dixon, Phillip Kletke, Arlyn (Snell) Brunken – Delane’s Wife
- WHEN: April 2018
- WHERE: Branson, Missouri
- SOURCE: Lavila Testerman
- LEFT TO RIGHT: Meg (Graves)(Hedrick) Kletke – Darrel’s wife, Muhrizah (Darius) Brunken – Alan’s wife, Alan Brunken, Donna (Kirmse) (Frazer) Martin
- WHEN: April 2018
- WHERE: Branson, Missouri
- SOURCE: Lavila Testerman
- FRONT LEFT TO RIGHT: Gary Brunken, Dale Kirmse
- OTHER SIDE OF TABLE LEFT TO RIGHT: ?, Delane Brunken, Ken Testerman – Lavila’s husband, Gary Dixon – Glenda’s husband
- IN BACK LEFT TO RIGHT: Phillip Kletke, Arlyn (Snell) Brunken – Delane’s Wife, Glenda (Brunken) Dixon,
- WHEN: April 2018
- WHERE: Branson, Missouri
- SOURCE: Lavila Testerman,
- LEFT TO RIGHT: Judy (Kirmse) Yordi, Janice (Kletke) Sonnenberg
- WHEN: April 2018
- WHERE: Branson, Missouri
- SOURCE: Lavila Testerman,
Photo Albums were shared.
- LEFT TO RIGHT: Tommy Hackler, Elizabeth (Flores) Hackler – Tommy’s wife, Gary Sonnenberg – Janice’s husband
- WHEN: April 2018
- WHERE: Branson, Missouri
- SOURCE: Lavila Testerman
A friendship quilt that was assembled by Hilda Ida Brunken about 1932 was displayed by Judy Yordi.
- LEFT TO RIGHT: Darrel Kletke, Meg (Graves)(Hedrick) Kletke – Darrel’s wife, Janice (Kletke) Sonnenberg
- WHEN: April 2018
- WHERE: Branson, Missouri
- SOURCE: Lavila Testerman
- LEFT TO RIGHT: Glenda (Brunken) Dixon, Lavila (Brunken)(Smith) Testerman, Judy (Kirmse) Yordi, Muhrizah (Darius) Brunken – Alan’s wife, Donna (Kirmse)(Frazer) Martin
- WHEN: April 2018
- WHERE: Branson, Missouri
- SOURCE: Lavila Testerman
- LEFT TO RIGHT: Tommy Hackler, Janice (Kletke) Sonnenberg, Lavila (Brunken)(Smith) Testerman, Audrey Lee (Lindorfer) Hamilton
- WHEN: April 2018
- WHERE: Branson, Missouri
- SOURCE: Lavila Testerman
- LEFT TO RIGHT: Tommy Hackler, Gary Brunken, Gary Sonnenberg – Janice’s husband, Audrey Lee (Lindorfer) Hamilton
- WHEN: April 2018
- WHERE: Branson, Missouri
- SOURCE: Lavila Testerman
- LEFT TO RIGHT: Janice (Kletke) Sonnenberg, Glenda (Brunken) Dixon, Arlyn (Snell) Brunken – Delane’s Wife
- WHEN: April 2018
- WHERE: Branson, Missouri
- SOURCE: Lavila Testerman
- LEFT TO RIGHT: Donna (Kirmse) (Frazer) Martin, Alan Brunken,Tommy Hackler, Janice (Kletke) Sonnenberg, Ron Yordi
- WHEN: April 2018
- WHERE: Branson, Missouri
- SOURCE: Lavila Testerman
Gary Brunken brought and displayed Grandfather Brunken’s “Cowboy Trunk”. According to family lore, Grandfather William Leopold Brunken in his younger years heard that there was good money in being a cowboy. This was his trunk that he used to travel West to seek positions as a cowboy. He soon learned that there were few cowboy opportunities and returned home to Nebraska. He then married Grandmother Bunken and took up farming before moving his family to Oklahoma in 1910.
Entertainment
Family entertainment abounds at Branson, On Friday night, most went to see the show “Samson” at the Sight and Sound Theatre.
And, on Saturday night most went to the “Dolly Parton’s Stampede” show:
- BACK ROW LEFT TO RIGHT: Ken and Lavila Testerman, Dale Kirmse, Judy and Ron Yordi, Gary Sonnenberg, Phillip Kletke, Darrel Kletke
- MIDDLE ROW LEFT TO RIGHT: Gary and Glenda Dixon, Donna Martin, Janice Sonnenberg, Meg Kletke
- FRONT ROW LEFT TO RIGHT: Tommy and Elizabeth Hackler, Gary Brunken, Audrey Hamilton, Muhrizah and Alan Brunken
- WHEN: April 2018
- WHERE: Branson, Missouri
- SOURCE: Lavila Testerman
Organizing Committee
Program and Accommodations
- Lavila Testerman
- Glenda Dixon
- Janice Sonnenberg
Registration
- Donna Martin
Family History
- Dale Kirmse