It Came from Mary Irmiger's Shoe Box!

• A batch of photos Mom let me scan during our annual Big Cup reunion in August of 2002.
  • My Grandmother Myrtle Barlow (nee Torkleson) (a.k.a. Gigi) as a young girl. Probably taken around 1920. Mom said that all of Gigi's good clothes where made by her mom, Grandma Tork. I don't doubt it.
  • My Grandmother Gigi and Mom as an infant in the back yard of the Franklin Street house in Sparta, WI circa 1936.
  • Mom had to tell me that this is a photo of my Grandfather Curt Barlow (a.k.a. the Great Buffalo, the Buff, Bumpa, Dr. Curtis H. Barlow DDS) holding Mom outside of the front of their home on Franklin Street in Sparta, WI circa 1938. The house in the background is gone but their Franklin Street house is still there.
  • Believe it or not, my Grandfather holding my Mom circa 1936. Good looking guy, isn't he?
  • Mom at 3 years old in my grandparents' back yard on Franklin St in Sparta, WI. Very stylish for 1939. Love the hat and coat!
  • A Barlow family portrait of my Uncle Chris, my Grandmother Myrtle (a.k.a. Gigi) and Mom circa 1943. Mom said they had this picture taken to send to my Grandfather who was away in Britain during WWII. It was the thing to do at that time.
  • My Grandfather, Uncle Chris and Mom on a trout fishing trip outside Sparta, WI circa 1948.
  • Mom had a story about this one. The Barlows in Cashton, WI where about twice a month they went to have a family meal with aunts, uncles and cousins. Photo is thought to have been taken in the late 1940s. My Mom's extended family jokingly claims to own about half the town of Cashton. I don't doubt it.
  • This one had me stumped. Mom says it's a high school picture of Mom and a couple of friends (Jane and Lynn: Mom's in the middle) during a bible camp circa 1953. She claims they were looking for boys. I'd be careful in that swimsuit! Note the stylish white sunglasses. Very chic. Hey, hey, HEY! That's my MOM your gawkin' at, buster!!!
  • Mom and Dad in their first apartment in Madison, WI shortly after they were married. Get a load of the wallpaper!
  • Mom cleaning her apartment on Derby Lane in Green Bay, WI circa 1959. Domesticity, thy name is Mary.
  • Mom, Dad and Grindle the Boxer at the 14th Street house in Lafayette, IN circa 1962. I have a few memories of this house. One of them is that Dad put in a brick patio in the back yard.
  • Me on my tricyle in Green Bay, WI circa 1959. Insert your own comment here. I deny everything. I remember the trike though.
  • This is a classic! Mom and Ted on our 1964 Allstate scooter. There are a TON of stories about this little two-wheeler. My Dad has one not unlike it in his collection. Gretchen used to ride in the rattan basket! Million-dollar legs, no?
  • All four of us kids in the house at 1500 El Prado Blvd (see Mom, I remembered the address!) in West Lafayette, IN. I was writing a letter to grandparents and wanted to put a return address on the envelope (just like grown-ups), but I didn't know how to spell "El Prado". Rather than tell me, my folks sent me out to the corner so I could copy if off the street sign. I never forgot it!
  • My baby sister Gretchen circa 1966 in the front yard of 1500 El Prado. Words fail me...
  • Gretchen, if you can believe it, at the El Prado address. Mom doesn't remember Gretchen being such a little butterball. Who am I to cast stones? She did grow out of it, fortunately.
  • Ted probably watching Popeye and Janie in the family room of the El Prado house circa 1965. You gotta love the cap. We spent a lot of time as kids watching cartoons. Explains a lot. I still like them.
  • Curt, Grindle the Boxer and me. Our first dog. Dad later told me that when he was a kid, his family had boxers. Go figure. All I remember is that Dad trained him to NEVER go in the kitchen. Great old dresser in the background. We had that dresser for a very long time. Mom probably knows the story better than me. Loved those technicolor pajamas.
  • Me, Ted and Gretchen with our Bumpa, Christmas 1965.
  • The four kids at 5660 Washington (later renamed to Irmiger) Boulevard. I remember the sofa well. My family has a cuckoo clock not unlike the one on the back wall. Great house. Circa 1968.
  • This is a really good one. Mom swears this is a picture of Joy Clifford and Ted probably in the 5660 house. I SWORE THIS WAS A PICTURE OF MY SON SPUD! She assured me otherwise. It's uncanny how much Spud looks like Ted at this age. Circa 1968.
  • The four of us and Joy Clifford watching TV (probably cartoons) in the 5660 house. Joy was very special to us. A colorful character. Mom has many stories.
  • My brother Curt and me during our first horseback riding experience. This was at "the Cabbage" (an attempt at "the Cottage"): a cabin rental just outside Angelo, WI. We spent a couple of summers there around 1968. That's Gretchen and Ted behind the fence. Ha ha!
  • Finally, Ted and Gretchen's turn at horseback riding.
  • Curt in Hawaii during his college basketball days (1983) at David Lipscomb. Nice shirt. Better hair.
  • Mom, Bumpa and Uncle Chris having a good laugh in the kitchen of the house on Guilford Avenue circa 1979. Sure looks like they're having a good time, doesn't it?
  • Recent family photo taken at the Rasmussen cabin August 2001. My family is mysteriously absent. Maybe photo was taken before we arrived.
  • My nephew Charlie just before leaving for a Twins game circa 2000.
  • Curt and Charlie at the Minnesota State Fair circa 2001. Machinery Hill on opening day.
  • My sister-in-law Deb and my niece Rachel. The boys must be gone: all smiles!
  • Me taken at the Greens in Sparta, WI during the 2000 Big Cup tournament. Mom likes this picture of me.
  • An Irmiger Family Portait of my Aunt Gretchen's branch of the clan. I think that's my cousin Rob in the front row at the far left. A good looking group although I don't really remember any of them. They live out on the East coast (Massachussetts if I recall).
• Don and Adri's wedding. Ted didn't want to return the tux. The newlyweds cut the cake. The newlyweds on their honeymoon in front of Buckingham Palace in London.
• A nice photo of Adri.
• The Irmiger family during Christmas sometime during the 1970s. Not sure where Curt is...
• Don and Curt play a hand of cards. I've got him on the ropes.
• Mom's 1970s look. What a babe! Photos 1, 2 and 3
• Mom's 1980s look. The sophisticate. Photos 1 and 2
• Ted Irmiger, USMC (captions are just guesses...)
  • Ted and a young friend in the Phillipines?
  • Ted and Mercy?
  • Ted in his desert fatigues at sea?
  • Ted on leave visits Curt in Minneapolis.
  • Ted visits at Christmas at the Tomah ranch.
• Baby pix of little Donnie (geesh!)
  • The happy threesome!
  • Gigi gives Donnie a bath (censored)
  • Donnie in his "happy place".
  • Ready to eat!
  • Sporting a new "brim".
  • Donnie at age 3-4 in Green Bay?.
  • Donnie in Dad's T-shirt (a classic).
  • Playing in the sand.
  • On my tricycle.
  • Another beach shot.
  • Trying to "be good".
• Dad and Mom "back in the day"
  • Prehistoric photo. Mom made the dress.
  • The happy couple. Yes, that's me. Another look in the late 1960s. A look at all of us from the same era. What a crew!
  • Outside 5660 Washington Blvd in the 70s.
  • My father then and now.
  • Mom and Gretchen on the 1964 Vespa 150 scooter. Another look.
• Don during his high school years at Brebeuf
  • First day of school. Love that lunchbox look!
  • Off to the bus. If Mom really loved me she'd have thrown those pants out.
  • On crutches again after screwing around on the school's trampoline. More "pants from hell".
• "The Land" in Brown County, IN.
  • Goin' skinny-dipping
  • Gathering firewood on my remaining good leg.
  • Doing the picnic thing.
• The Barlows (My Mom's family)
  • The clan: my grandfather Dr. Curtis H. Barlow, D.D.S; Mom; grandmother Myrtle Barlow (Marty, Gigi to the grandkids); and uncle Chris Barlow.
  • Gigi and my brother Curt.
• Don and Spudley visit "Oma" in Fall of 1996.
  • In the "courtyard" at Oma's apartment complex
  • Another view
  • Too much fun in the tub!