Cecelia Gruenwald
Perryville, Missouri
Back in 1967 . . .
‘CC’ completed college at CTC, was called to Pittsburgh, PA, and taught in an inner city school for one year. Marriage the next summer brought her to Cleveland where she taught another year at Parma. Presently she is teaching in a public school across the street. She and Ted are living in a mobile home and have one dependant, a cat named ‘Mao.’
Ted is finishing his art major, with plans to teach secondare art. As for future plans, she writes, “I’ll teach till I have lots of money, so hard telling what the future holds. Anyone interested in corresponding - I would love to hear from you. Let’s get the ball rolling again, girls. I’ll sure try to keep up my end.”
In 2010. . .
Parker, Florida
I have been putting this off as it requires memory, and like the computer,
my mind is too full and contains many errors. I'll try. I can't wait to
read what you all have written.
I know you probably feel like I do. When I/you look back at the guidance
that God has given us over the years, we are awed by his grace and goodness.
I truly wish I could relate all the wonderful stories of each of the places
where I have taught, but I know I would put you to sleep even more quickly
than this hopefully short history will.
Here goes!
After the four years at CTC, I received my first call to St. Matthew's
in Pittsburgh,PA, where I taught grades 1-3 in the basement of the church.
Will Kromphardt was principal and taught 4-6. I wonder if any such situations
still exist? I had a one room apartment and rode the streetcar or drove
my '58 VW through the narrow streets of the Southside.
I loved living the single life, but Ted Richter changed all that. We married
after that first year, and we resided in Cleveland, OH, where I taught
one year at Bethany in Parma and the next year in Olmsted Falls in a public
school.
Ted then received a call to be art/ mechanical arts teacher and football/wrestling
coach at a new Lutheran high school in Greendale, WI. I landed a job in
the Greendale Public Schools and for the next 14 years, I taught on and
off, had two boys (Matthew and Jonathan) and developed Crohn's Disease
for which I had several surgeries.
During those 14 years, Ted developed a "talk" that used the potter's
wheel and the biblical references to God using potters/pottery. Each talk
brought him closer to the decision of becoming a parish minister. That
meant packing our belongings and family, quitting jobs and generally placing
our trust in God that he would take care of us in St. Louis and that Ted
would be able to prepare at the Seminary. He did. During those two years,
I taught at Immanual Lutheran in Olivette.
Ted's first call was Greenville, MS where I taught at Greenville Christian
School. If you have connections with the South, you will understand this:
We were known as "Reds in the Sheds" - translation-rednecks in
portables. I taught large classes with heavy doses of Southern Bible Belt
curriculum. I loved Greenville, the last southern holdout.
Ted was then called to Palm Coast, FL, to begin a mission church. It began
with 6 families and now has more than 300 members. I took a job for Volusia
Couuty Public Schools(Daytona Beach) and taught in Seville, a very small
town on the edge of the county. We had one class per grade and still rang
the school bell with a rope in a tower. Loved the school, children, and
the community,
Another call and another move! This time to Dothan, AL, and a completely
new teaching situation. I was asked to begin an ESL program for a local
community college, and for ten years, I built the program, taught GED classes,
and taught adjunct English classes for the college. The job enabled me
to meet and make friends from all over the world.
I loved teaching adults, but as I saw my teaching years wind down, I decided
to return to FL, return to children, and return to full time teaching,
I took a job 17 miles over the AL border in Gracevile, FL, at the elementary
school where I taught ESE. I loved those children with a special love.
I retired in '08 after being there for three years.
Can you believe, I have followed that Ted Richter around all these years?
God certainly has blessed me with many opportunities as we chased around
the mid-country. We are now living in Panama City (Parker), FL, in another
renovated
home(after all the renovating over the years, I am surprised
we are still married as some of you may identify with). I am happy to have
room for flower and vegetable gardens, orchard, pool, spa, and room for
other crafts(soap making and sewing). Reading has been a life long passion
and I am part of several book clubs or reading groups. I work at our church's
thrift shop several times a week and other projects I find which might
be a ministry for God.
Who knows what the future holds; Maybe volunteering at schools, working
at a nursery(plants), fostering cats(Yes, we have 4.), writing essays for
a memoir, traveling, developing an ESL class at church...?
Son Matthew is a chiropractor in Santa Anna and Corona, CA, and has 3
step children and 2 biological. Matt and Aurora live in Corona.
Son
Jonathan and Veronica live in Nashville and have 2 boys and 1 girl. Jon
is an animator/illustrator whose work can be seen on www.jonathanrichter.com
Memories
Situps in the upstairs hall, sunbathing, wash hanging on the clothesline, front porch kisses, and giggling at devotions in the Hillcrest Dorm. Iceskating on the park pond. Cafeteria food and races for the milk on the napkin holder. Who put paper napkins in the glasses just to see the fellows run?
I am so looking forward to seeing all of you and hearing your stories in person. God willing, 2011!
Cecelia