Lawrence Anstett family

Here's the last Anstett family blog before starting on the Matyn side of Dad's family.

I distinctly remember meeting my Dad's maternal Uncle Walter Anstett (1882-1969) who with his wife, Rose Bonneau, had 10 children. Uncle Walter was the family photographer discussed in earlier Anstett blog entrys, when I was very young, age 2 or 3. I remember this meeting because Dad told me who he was and that he was about 85 at the time and I could not believe that Dad had a still living Uncle and that someone could live so long. He looked like he was very old, lots of wrinkles, very white hair, and I can remember he had trouble walking at the time, using a cane. He made a great impression upon me, a very warm, friendly person, smiling often. I remember Dad getting very emotional when he saw his uncle. and that they hugged each other and were both very happy to spend time visiting with each other.  Now when I think that Dad lived to 105, Uncle Walter was just a youngster!  Here are some 1960s photographs of early Anstett and Matyn family gatherings.

Left to right: Aunty Gert Matyn, Lawrence Anstett, George F. Matyn, holding me (Marian) with my mouth open (always) and Katie Anstett (mouth closed), Barbara, Lawrence, and Madeline Anstett. This is how I remember Aunty Gert most of the time I was growing up, when she was still teaching or recently retired, with short dark hair, glasses, coat, coordinating scarf in her coat, giving everyone books to read. 

After we started living in Grayling in 1967 we visited as a family with Uncle Walter's third son, Lawrence and his wonderful wife, Madeline, and their wonderful, large family. We occasionally visited each other between Grayling and their farm in Leroy, MI. Both Lawrence and Madeline had wonderful laughs. They laughed in a way that made you feel good and laugh, too, and want to spend more time with them. They were lovely, lovely people. You hated leaving them. They were a hard working farm family. Lawrence had a cross carved by our ancestor Francis Antoine Anstett. I do not remember ever meeting any of Lawrence's siblings.

On their farm they had horses, cows, and chickens. That was when I found out cows can lick their own noses while eating corn on the cob. Who knew? I remember Lawrence telling us that sometimes the smaller cows had a hard time giving birth to the calves and all the kids would go out and help pull the calves out. Again, not growing up on a farm that was a revelation.

I also remember in the later 1970s visiting them on their farm and the younger girls, then in middle and high school, talking about how they planned to join the army after high school in order to get their education. I thought that took a lot of guts.

I mostly remember their youngest daughter Kathryne, called Katydid or Katie, when we were little. Katie was an amazing jumping rope. doing all kinds of trick jump steps that nobody I knew could do. 

Lawrence and Madeline both died when I was living in Pennsylvania so I could not go with my parents to their funeral. When Mom told me over the phone about their deaths I cried. They were mourned by all their neighbors, including the Amish. As far as I know their sons still operate the farm. Sadly, we've lost touch since their parents died. 

Here are Lawrence's daughters Katie and Lynn Anstett and me. What was I looking at, a cow? I think this is on their farm.

This is a mix of relatives, Uncle Carl Hon (my Mom's brother), my Dad George F. Matyn and Lawrence Anstett in our backyard at 604 Michigan Ave., Grayling, MI. The neighbor's house, corner of Michigan and Park, in the background.


In this photo, which I'm amazed my Mom did not take because everyone's back is in the photo, which was her signature photography style, they are left to right, as she noted: Madeline, Ann Hon in front of Larry Anstett (Lawrence's son) by tree, Mom (Rosalia Hon Matyn) in her dress with huge flowers on it, standing in front of Aunty Irene Hon. It's a fun photo for me because that's our Chrysler stationwagon (like all kids who grew up with and hated station wagons, I'm so glad SUVs were invented) and the back of 604 Mich. Ave., our house, with the original white paint and tiny back porch. All the trees are still blooming. A lot of them were damaged by bad weather in the next few years leaving the back yard a lot less green. The garage of our other neighbors, Roses, is visible in the background, on the corner of Maple and Michigan Avenue.