(Prepared and delivered by Fred at the Masek family reunion, Lincoln, NE. July 13, 1996)

My chapter covers the migration of the Maseks. We have already heard how Thomas and Barbara Masek with their family moved from Cleveland, Ohio to a farm near Geddes, South Dakota.

Lets take the families in some sequence. My dad and mother, Joe and Rose Masek, decided to leave the Geddes-Armour, South Dakota, area to become cattle raisers in the short grass country near Wood and White River, South Dakota. A major handicap. The depression, the dust bowl, set in. Money was not plentiful. Rations were short. I know we consumed some government food commodities to keep going. Because of the lack of feed for animals, Dad sold his livestock for $12 a head. The next move proved to be a survival move. An uncle who weathered the depression better bought a ranch near Fairfax, South Dakota. Dad got the job as a ranch manager with crop and livestock sharing privileges. The last farm move was when dad took over Grandma Barbara Masek's farm near Geddes.

Grandma Masek, Uncle Charlie and Aunt Anna Straka moved off that farm to David City, Nebraska, where uncle joined his brother in the blacksmith business. That was the start of another migration.

Anna's sisters, Rose Petrik and Julia Sip, eventually settled in David City from Platte, South Dakota. Rose Petrik did a lot of baking and cooking in cafes. Julia Sip worked out in housekeeping jobs.

The third generation, as we have it documented, also began filling jobs in David City. Vern Petrik obtained work in the produce industry. His sister, Dorothy, worked in a department store. Sister, Sylvia, was employed at Council Oak. The former Ruby Sip worked at Safeway Grocery.

Getting back to the offspring of my parents... I didn't formally leave South Dakota except for military duty. While in the Army I bunked in at least 10 different camps in the US and Korea. I have been in Sioux Falls during the most of my working years -- 130 miles from the family farm. I have shifted in work from radio announcer to newspaper reporter to postal carrier.

My son, Brian, has lived in Orlando, Fla., Los Angeles and the Twin Cities of Minnesota. Son, Dick, lived at Mankato, Minnesota, while attending college. For the past seven years, Dick has lived in the Anderson, Indiana, area, very near Indianapolis. Both sons are computer programmers. Brian also leads a band.

Another major family shift was made when Vic and Mary Masek moved their family from Lake Andes, South Dakota, to Wisner, Nebraska. Vic spent his years in the construction field. Leaving Wisner, three younger members of the family, David, Jeanette and Tom, settled in Lincoln, Nebraska. David's daughter, Carrie, has a baby becoming the representative of the sixth Masek generation (starting with the Thomas and Barbara Masek). David's adopted daughter, Kristin, and her baby, also reside in Lincoln. Jim has been in Alaska for a number of years, much of the time as a trapper. Jeanette has one child and Tom two. Jeanette is a doctor; Tom, an auto repairman, and David, a printing office manager. Sharon in Phoenix is a hydrologist.

Charles Masek moved from South Dakota to Tulsa, Oklahoma to enter aircraft mechanics school. He obtained employment in the aviation industry and married there. His widow, Florence Matthews, continues to live at Tulsa as does son, Joe. Kathy lives in nearby Owasso, Oklahoma. Children of Joe and Jane Masek are Alex and Charles. Joe and Jane hold law enforcement positions. The son of Kathy and Kenny Stroud is Kasey. The entire contingent of Oklahoma is at this reunion today. Kenny is in the construction industry and is a rodeo clown. Kathy is a Blue Cross-Blue Shield employee and has been a rodeo bull rider.

Ruby Sip Barlean's daughters are Connie, Sharon and Carol. Connie lives in Hastings, Nebraska; Carol in Houston, and Sharon in the David City area. Ruby can count eight grandchildren from the three daughters. There also are four great-grand children constituting the sixth generation.

Johnny Petrik spent most of his working years in Colorado, Utah, and Alaska. Sister, Sylvia, spent most of here married life in Colorado. Johnny's surviving four children are living in the Southwest. So far as we know, Sylvia's surviving son, David, also is living in the Southwest. Dorothy Petrik Buntgen's two daughters are Jo Ann, residing in Cozad, Nebraska, and Lynne who lives in Boonville, Missouri. There are two children each for Jo Ann and Lynne. Dorothy continues to live in David City.

Vern Petrik's surviving sons are split between two states-- Danny in David City and Terry near the Twin Cities of Minnesota. There are four children in Danny's family and one in Terry's family. Vern's widow, Dorothy, resides at Platte, South Dakota. Danny works for the REA. Terry is a private investigator.

Melva Davis, daughter of George and Millie Sip, has lived in the Hartford, South Dakota, area for a number of years. The widow of Raymond Sip, Mavis Dalton, lives at Waverly, Nebraska. We are happy to welcome her and her husband here today. Melva and Norman Davis have three children living over a wide area-- DeAnne Rechtenbaugh, a married daughter with three children living in Sioux Falls; Dwayne, father of two children, living in Denver, and David, residing in Eugene, Oregon. There also are two adopted children, Rob and Derrick Davis, living in Sioux Falls. Melva's mother, Millie Sip, continues to live at Bonesteel, South Dakota.

Aunt Anna Straka and daughter, Marcella, continue to live in the family home in David City. Daughter, Deltrude, has spent most of her married life in Napa, California. One daughter of Archie and Deltrude Hall, Tricia, Lives in California. One daughter, Andrea, lives in Nebraska and has a small child. Archie has been in the teaching field. {Note: Anna Straka died March 4, 1997; Marcella went to live with Deltrude and Archie.}

Lee Ann Masek Westerhaus has made the short shift from Wisner, Nebraska, to Pilger, Nebraska. Son, Jesse, lives at home while daughter, Sheila, has been attending college in Kansas. Wisner continues to be the family home of Mary Masek. Lee Ann and her husband, Dave, manage a cooperative grocery.

There was a bit more migration involved because of our nation's participation in wars. Three of the descendants of Thomas and Barbara Masek were military wives. They lived near camps as their husbands at the time served their country. These three are Dorothy Buntgen, Ruby Barlean, and the late Sylva Petrik Fetterolf.

These men served in the armed forces: George Sip and his son, Raymond; Charles, Victor, Fred, and David Masek; Vern and Johnny Petrik. Jo Ann Parker's sons, Bob and Bill, are currently serving in the armed forces. Raymond Sip paid the supreme sacrifice by being killed in Vietnam. Charles Masek was wounded in France and wore a scar on his jaw for the rest of his living days.

So that is the report on the Masek migration. So many members of this extended family live or have lived in so many places.