Hans & Lydia Boeckman and Jackie

 Hans & Lydia are two of my all time favorite people and they live in Wildwood, Mo in west St. Louis county. On this occaision we had breakfast in the Clarkson Valley bottoms in early May, 2009. Jackie & I were in town for my nephew, Kevin Kirn's funeral.

It's always a thrill to spend time with Hans & Lydia as there are two of the kindest and most generous people that I have ever known. The time we share always seems to fly by as all of us try to catch up on the latest happening in one another's lives.

I have known Hans since I was about 5 years old as he was my sister JoAnn's boyfriend. Hans moved to St. Louis from Hanover, Germany in the early to mid 1950s. At an early age he was a very talented house painter who was very accomplished in specialty type painting and decorating.  For example, Hans would paint a scene from a postcard on a client's dining room wall or perhaps he would give a ceiling a special treatment by painting a precise swirling pattern that included paint and sand. 

Hans was an extremely powerful influnce on me as a young boy and still is to this day. He is now 75 years old.

Lydia is from southern Germany and is truly gracious. During the times we have a chance to visit Lydia always has something special for Jackie & myself. Many times she will offer to prepare breakfast for us and it will always include a specialty. It might be a stolen from Germany  or maybe a shortcake with fresh stawberries.