Shaw Media / ShawLocal.com • Tuesday, Jul 5, 2022
WHITESIDE NEWS
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ERIE MIDDLE SCHOOL
The Ancestor Project As one of the final projects of the year, seventh graders at Erie Middle School were challenged to pick an ancestor or someone else that they could research and learn more about in order to write a story telling about their life. Students conducted interviews with family members and some were able to gather additional resources and pictures to help tell their story. While there were many great stories written, not all will be published. This project was a collaborative effort between students’ history classes with Mrs. Kruthoff and Mr. Armstrong, English class with Mrs. Wolf, and the students’ families. Students enjoyed getting to know more about their families, and many were surprised to learn how interesting their families were. We hope you will enjoy their stories, too!
Dave Lee Habben BY LAURYN WUNDERLICH
My grandpa is a jeweler by day and grandpa for life. My grandpa is a great example setter for my cousins and me. Someone always calls me the watch lady due to my grandpa being a jeweler and that makes me feel close to my grandpa because I know who they are talking about when they say that. Dave is a wonderful grandpa and a remarkable person because of how his childhood shaped him, how his adulthood influenced him and the things he still does today. My Grandpa Dave is a wonderful man, partly due to how his childhood shaped him. My grandpa’s name is David Lee Habben. He was born on Sept. 7, 1943, in Rapid City, South Dakota. His
biological father was not known, but the dad who raised him is Henry Habben and his mom’s name is Ione Shannon Habben. He has one sister named Deanna, two brothers, one named Paul – he served in the military – and his other brother is sadly not with us today. His name was Donald. Donald died when he was 40. My grandpa grew up in Newcastle, Wyoming. It is about 13 hours away from Erie. He also went to school in Newcastle, Wyoming. In middle school, he did track and in high school, he wrestled. A unique and scary fact about my grandpa is that he missed the first four days of high school because he was in a coma because of an injury he suffered in a county fair rodeo. He graduated in 1962 at the age of 18. He then went to college at Gem City in Quincy. He didn’t have many hobbies, but he golfed, did stuff for 4-H, woodworked and did farm work. He was quite talented as a woodworker and there are some things he made that they still have in their home today. I learned that my grandpa Dave’s childhood shaped him into the adult he is today. My grandpa’s adulthood influenced him to be the great man he is today. My grandpa married my grandma, Betty Habben. Her maiden name was Betty Munster. He married her at age 24. They met working at Eaton’s Jewelry in Normal. They had three kids, two girls – Danae Habben (my mom), who married Jeff Wunderlich (my dad), Danelle Habben (my aunt), who married Gary Nall (my uncle) – and one boy, Darren Habben (also my uncle), who married Katie Mates (also my aunt), and they all have at least two kids. My grandpa held many jobs over the
years, doing farm work, working at a grocery store, a drugstore and a movie theater. He also was a house parent at Illini Children’s Home in Erie, as well as working at multiple jewelry stores: Eaton’s Jewelry, Chadband’s in Bloomington, part owner at Klingler’s Jewelry and now at Dave’s Goldsmith Shop out of his house. Plus, he does work for Don’s Jewelry in Clinton, Iowa, and Expressions in Davenport, Iowa. Work has not consumed his life, though. He has made sure to take time to relax and be with his family. He has been on a handful of vacations with his family. My Grandpa Dave has been to Yellowstone, the Black Hills, North Carolina, Germany, England and Colorado. While enjoying life, he also enjoys some of his favorite foods. He loves pancakes and ice cream. His favorite kind of ice cream is strawberry with chocolate sauce on top, but really he doesn’t discriminate against ice cream – basically any kind will do – and he loves thrive bread. Thrive bread is bread that Native Americans make. In addition to his career and his favorites, my grandpa is a very giving man. He was in the National Guard for six years. He gave time to his country and he volunteers for community events and at his church. Additionally, my grandpa has had some struggles in his life. He had colon cancer. They took eight inches out of his large intestine. He had colon cancer in 2012, when he was 69. I learned how my grandpa’s adulthood influenced him to be the respectful man he is today. My grandpa’s life continues to be an inspiring and great one. My grandpa lives in Erie now. My grandpa runs his own jewelry shop at his house. He is 78
years old with seven grandchildren. As he has gotten older, he has found new hobbies he enjoys. He started running when he was 63 and still runs the Bix to this day. Overall, he has lived a very full life but it is not nearly the end. He is an active man who is always running around helping others, donating his time and talents and making sure his family has everything they need. Despite the fact that he is “retired,” he is just as busy as he has ever been. I learned that my grandpa’s life is really good and he is very busy helping and visiting with many people. I learned so many things about my grandpa that I did not know before. I see my grandpa as a person who is hardworking and a responsible adult that I can look up to. I feel closer to him knowing how his life was and what he went through when he was younger. One lesson I learned from him was to take care of people, no matter what your situation is. Another lesson I learned from him was even if you are full from a meal there is always room for ice cream. I feel that the project made me know more about my grandpa than I ever thought I ever could. The project also made me realize that I can always learn more about people. My grandpa is a great man and an even better grandpa. My grandpa is a wonderful grandpa and a remarkable person. His childhood helped shape the man he is today. Additionally, his adult life significantly influenced the man he is. And, even in retirement, he is not really retired, but living a full and rewarding life. My Grandpa Habben is a remarkable man and grandpa. I love him so much; he is the foundation of our family and the glue that holds us all together.
Mary Helen Wade to Illinois Department of Transportation, three parcels on Freeport Road, Sterling, $4,730. Jody L. Besse to Randl J. and Julie M. Besse, one parcel on Sand Road and one on Interstate 88, Erie, $6,000. David and Joann Jackley to Bobby G. Tribble III, 2013 Chestnut Ave., Sterling, $50,000. Douglas A. and Nancy A. Nelson to CPR Maintenance LLC, 206 Ave D, Rock Falls, $40,000. Brandon J. Campbell to Derrick Beck, 1301 14th Ave., Sterling, $155,900. Marjorie Greer Estate, Marcia Henderson, Deborah K. Goodwin and Stanley H., Clifton Dale and Joseph W. Greer Jr. to
Joseph Creekmore, 2702 Yeoward St., Rock Falls, $60,000. Ronald P. Buck Estate and David Buck to Maximillian J. McClelland, 208 Elm St., Prophetstown, $73,000. Douglas E. and Sally A. Furr to Xdream Investments LLC and McEmpire Enterprises LLC, 600 and 602 W. Fifth St., Rock Falls, $240,000. William Aberle to Ruben Tapia Plata, 315 W. Second St., Rock Falls, $35,000. Michael and Kathleen A. Barsema to Sam and April Stuart, 19011 Elston Road, Fulton, $5,000. Caleb Michael and Jordan Fuller to Anthany Steven Sigel, 902 13th St., Fulton, $173,000.
Quit claim deeds Henry E. and Mary S. Borntreger to Union Grove Amish Cemetery Association, 9788 Union Grove Road, Morrison, $0. David H. and Ladonna S. Witmer to Johanna T. Baldwin, 21275 Buell Road, Sterling, $10.
PROPERTY TRANSFERS Whiteside County
Warranty deeds Jeanette M. and Melvin L. Larson II to Felipe D. Gutierrez, 28383 Thome Road, Rock Falls, $160,000. Tyler and Kaylee Renkes to Ellen Shepler, 211 Pheasant Ridge Drive, Albany, $225,000. Ann M. Chamberlain and Laura M. Burkholder to Walter C. Arthurs, 802 Jackson St., Prophetstown, $35,000. Adrian Brittany Considine to Nelson Properties LLC, 401 E. Sixth St., Rock Falls, $128,000. Ernesto and Mary Kay Hernandez Family Trust to Shawn Devaraj, 1402 Eighth Ave., Sterling, $125,000.
Trustees deeds Vivian K. Steele Family Trust, Robert C. Barth, trustee, to Andrew Reutzel, 510 E. First St., Lyndon, $72,000. Warren D. and Marcia J. Pruis to Grandview LLC, 12890 Grandview Drive, Morrison, $0. Source: Whiteside County Recorder’s Office
