Vegter-Tschetter Heritage

William (Opa) & Tryntje (Moeke)

Memories and Recollections about Opa & Moeke
posted in the 1999 Vegter Reunion Book

The Vegters who were old enough to have known Opa and Moeke share a tremendous blessing. Opa had so many stories and Moeke tolerated every one of them. I count it a real treasure to have known and loved them. (Bill Elgersma)

Hank De Jong and I used to mow Opa's lawn for several years for which we each earned fifty cents. Of course, when we were done with the work, we would sit by him on the front porch and he would comment on everything in the world except paying us. He knew we were anxious to get paid, and he would make us sit forever. Over and over he would take out his coin purse, count out a few coins, and then put it back in his pocket. At long last he would give us each a shiny fifty-cent piece and we would go running to town to find a place to spend it. And Opa would chuckle as we left. (Bill Elgersma)

William & Tryntje
Children: Bill, Henrietta, Dick, Josie

I want to include a true story from about 1947. Our family, the Elgersmas, and the De Jongs lived in Sanborn, Iowa, very near Opa and Moeke Vegter. Hank De Jong and I were 7 or 8 years old, and we were daily companions with Opa. He was retired, but still worked every day in his big vegetable garden. Hank and I peddled the produce of his garden all around town. One day he decided to tear down a building in his back yard. I imagine it was about fifteen feet wide by thirty feet long. It was very old and rickety. Hank, using a crowbar, was tearing boards off the inside while I was on the roof, dismantling that. All of a sudden, the entire building collapsed, with me on top. I rode it down, as I heard Opa yell. He came running from the garden, and exhibited super human strength, to lift the entire building up and allow Hank to scramble out. Miraculously he wasn't hurt, and we all got a good laugh from it when we found all o.k. (Bill Elgersma)

I used to help Opa kill chickens. He would make me hold their legs while he held the neck with one hand and used a butcher's knife on the rooster's neck. Invariably I would let go of one of the chicken's legs before the head was off. Many times the chicken would go flopping around the back yard with its head half removed. Opa would get mad at me, but in short order his wrath would be gone and he would be chuckling. (Bill Elgsersma)

William & Tryntje