My paternal Grandmother, Maria Anna Elisabetha Klein, was born 127 years ago today in Budesheim, Germany. 3 April 1892. She immigrated as a toddler with her family to Illinois and grew up in Elmhurst. Eventually she raised her own family in Chicago.
The next image is with her mother and her first child, Margaretha (Marge). This photo would be approximately 1925. The photo above would be sometime before that–perhaps before 1920.
The third photo is Grandma with Marge as well.
Notice how my grandmother’s foot seems swollen. I inherited the condition of primary lymphedema from her. Eventually her legs and feet swelled to much larger than this. She had to cut little Vs out of her shoe vamps. I wear compression stockings and have access to a pump that relieves some of the overflow fluid. She not only didn’t have the same treatments, but she didn’t even have the proper diagnosis.
Quite sometime ago I published a photo of my grandmother and her siblings as children. It is the only known photo of Grandma as a little girl. There are different opinions about which of the two shorter girls is Grandma.
Grandma moved to Kalamazoo during the 1960s and died there on 25 APRIL 1974.
Happy birthday, Grandma. RIP XO.
The Family Kalamazoo 
Wonderful photos… so clear and so much detail. Thanks for posting.
Thanks, Jose. I hope you are doing well!
She was quite a stunning young woman. Is Marge your mother or aunt?
Lymphedema sounds very uncomfortable. I hope it doesn’t bother you too much.
Thank you on her behalf. Yes, you saw she is my aunt. Lymphedema is super uncomfortable. And causes other issues, like most medical stuff. It definitely affects my wardrobe hahaha. Thank goodness for pants.
Sorry—doesn’t sound like you wanted that part of grandma’s DNA…
LOL!!!! You are right about that!
Oops—just realized you said paternal grandmother, so your aunt!
You’ve got some absolutely fantastic photos in this collection!
Thank you. I can hardly believe I am still scanning! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
Wonderful photos. She was a beautiful young woman.
Jane, thank you so much on her behalf. I can hardly believe she’s been gone so long.
A lovely memory – except for the lymphedema
Thanks, Derrick. When I remember how swollen Grandma’s legs and feet were when I was a kid–and how taut the skin was–it makes me squeamish.
I’ll bet
Fabulous photos, Luanne, as always – and great stories of your grandmother, too. That’s so interesting about her foot issues – wouldn’t it be nice if we could choose the genes we inherit??
Hope you are feeling better.
Well, it might make some family members feel bad if I didn’t want his or her attributes haha! Thanks, Sheila. You too.
Grandma is the shortest one, on the right in the photo. The sister on the left is Aunt Anna. She had certain characteristics about her eyes and nose that I definitely remember. B
Yes, that is what I thought, too! Thank you!!!!!
What great pix! So clear and also expressive, except for #4, which must have been a long exposure. Number 3 looks uncannily like you.
I agree about #4. OK, that is the first time anybody in the world has ever said I look like Grandma. But my cousin Leah, almost the spitting image of her.
Great collection of photos! Sorry to hear you inherited the foot troubles. Hope they’re better today.
Thank you, Eilene. I’m afraid the lymphedema is here to stay and if anything gets a tiny bit worse as I get older. But many people have it much worse than I do. It can be pretty horrific looking.
Well, you bear it well, it seems. As I get older and arthritis sets in, it makes it easier to comprehend that other people have chronic ailments and be more sympathetic.
I think that’s true for most people!
Hi Luanne ~ I just melt when I see family pictures. Love them! Thank goodness for modern medicine and a bit more relief from some of the yuk that follows us through our lives. Sharon
Boy, you’re not kidding!!! Actually there isn’t a lot they do yet for lymphedema, but at least I know to wear the stockings and they have the pump, which Grandma didn’t have.
Going by eyebrows and shape of face, I’d say your grandmother is on the left. Very pretty child and woman!
Sorry about your swollen legs and feet… the only time I’ve experience anything like it was when I was on medicine to lower my blood pressure (no longer need it, thankfully). I could barely move, and nothing fitted… but it was more aching than pain, I feel so much for you having that. x
Thank you, Val! Did you see their older sister in the last pic? Elizabeth was a knockout! But she died as a young adult when her youngest was around 2.
Yes, lots of aching, especially because it’s a permanent condition and there is no reprieve from it. But also in later years, pain, too. This is the type of edema that gets very hard to the touch, especially if you don’t keep working at keeping it down. I’m so glad you don’t need those meds any longer!!!
Oh that’s such a shame dying young – and not being able to experience her kids growing up.
Oh yes, the hard type… what I had was soft (often referred to as pitting oedema’) – in fact I remember grossing people out by pressing patterns into it with my finger! Poor you.
I’d say she is the smallest of the girls. I must share with my granddaughter and show her a JoJo Bow way ahead of the game. Is it not grand to have a pix of four persons who are looking great!
I had to laugh at the JoJo bow!!! hahaha, yes, that is what they are wearing, ESPECIALLY Elizabeth, the oldest! I was so thrilled to discover this photo!!!
I agree: she’s the smallest of the girls.