Legacy

Anna Maggie Shollenberger Riehm-Hill

Sitting on a hilltop overlooking the Sandusky River, my grandparent's home is very fitting for their last name, Gerry and Anna Hill.  Most visitors would agree, the room with the most nostalgia is the den.  A multi-purpose room with a giant picture window that looks down the hill and towards the river below.  I can see it in my mind's eye, being there as a young boy.  As soon as you enter the room, a comfortable Lazy-boy is positioned perfectly to soak up a lot of time, and a lot of memories.  Sitting there, you can easily grab one of the many books on the shelf that lined the entire wall beside it. You can see trophies and other

The den bookshelf

 achievements displayed.  Artwork, especially wood carvings and paintings, decorate the room.  A pastime of both my grandparents was finely detailed, elegant wood carvings that were started and finished by their hands.  My grandfather being the master woodcarver, and often the careful final painting done by my grandmother.  These finished pieces are found throughout the home, but I believe sitting in the den is where much of the inspiration happened.  Objects, animals and other characters made of wood have their own story to tell.  Many birds were made from wood, and the live versions of these could be seen at the bird feeder just outside the den's window.  The room had a closet with games and toys.  Of course many of the toys were wood crafted, and the carpet below provided a perfect arena to enjoy them as a young boy.  A filing cabinet, full of, what, I'm not sure, was tucked in the corner.  Family pictures filled the remaining walls and magazines or newspapers covered the remaining surfaces.

Grandma always kept a clipping from the local newspaper anytime someone in the family was mentioned.  The Riehm family farm was often featured, and I was fortunate to receive clippings of my finishing times at local races as well as other articles of success.  Reading the newspaper, and reading in general, was very much something my grandmother encouraged.  Grandpa, he loved to focus on the weekend comics and was always good for a chuckle.  Grandma especially wanted me to be diligent about reading.  As a very young boy, I can remember sitting in the den chair with a book in two hands.  I daydreamed a lot back then.  I can remember peering over the book and out the window.  There, I can remember seeing the hill we would sled down in the winter.  The taste of hot chocolate with marshmallows would warm our bellies while my brothers and cousins would laugh after those sledding adventures.  I looked down toward the river and remember pulling canoes out of the water in the summertime, as grandma and grandpa's house was the last stop on our canoeing expeditions.  The refreshing taste of Birch Beer (The Pennsylvania Dutch version of American Root Beer) would greet us after a hot summer day on the Sandusky River.

As I would sit there having a typical boyhood daydream, my little ears could hear the soft gentle voice of my grandmother reminding me to focus on my reading.  In my grandmother's voice, there was a slight accent.  It sounded German, but much softer, and without a trace of harshness.  While Germany is the family's county of origin, it was the community of Hamburg, Pennsylvania where my grandmothers' character and accent was curated.  In Hamburg, there is a large population of Dutch who spoke a German dialect similar to what you might hear in Ohio's Amish Country.  This is where my grandmother was raised with her 7 siblings.  When she moved to Ohio and married her first husband, George Riehm, she carried her work ethic and instilled great virtues in her four children.  Her third child, John, my father, models the demeanor passed on by my grandmother.  He is also charismatically passionate about family and farming. 

Dad on the farm with Noah

Farm life is what my family knows well.  My great-grandparents were all farmers.  Grandma Anna married a farmer when she moved to Ohio and her husband George was very active in farming and caring for family.  After 14 years of marriage and four children later, my grandfather George was taken to heaven early with a major heart attack.  He was in his early 40s and my father, just 8 years old.  I'm so grateful that my grandma found Grandpa Gerry, who was also widowed way too young.  They had 45 years of marriage together and taught me many valuable lessons.  I'm told my Grandpa George, a hard-working farmer, always aspired to have three professions in the family: farmer, doctor, and a lawyer.  Farmer, he got for sure.  After high school, my father enrolled at Ohio State Agriculture School.  When he finished his first quarter, he figured he learned enough and everything else he could come back and learn directly from the land he always knew.  There are no attorneys in our family.  However, my 6-year-old, Juliana (yes, -Anna, as in her grandmother's name), comports herself in a way that would resemble a typical lawyer.  So, the jury is still out as to whether my Grandpa George's wishes will come true.  Serendipitously, it's seeming to be promising and he does have a doctor in the family, and that's me.

Perhaps it was my late grandfather's aspirations spurring on the encouragement that my grandmother had for my academics.  She was adamant about me sitting in that den and reading.  My little ears took in her every word.  But, I was a poor reader.  In fact, I was dyslexic.  In elementary school, I had designated time out my class to go and read with Mrs. Steyer.  She would hold a transparent yellow sheet over the words and work with me, line by line, so I would't get ahead of myself.  Coincidently, Mrs. Steyer, was sitting in the church pew behind me at my grandmother's funeral.  I think my grandma was wanting her to be there, reminding me to focus on my reading.  As I looked down for the Bible in the pew in front of me, I picked up the obituary.  As I read, my thoughts were, wow - what an amazing life!

Lately, I've reflected on my grandmother's influence, and sitting in the den room chair.  I can still hear the soft voice of the slight accent, giving me words of encouragement.  I've long thought about the confidence she has given me.  How could a dyslexic rural Ohio farm boy become a first-generation college graduate, obtain one of the highest degrees, and endure 5 years of postgraduate medical residency training as a physician?  I was able to read medical textbooks that were so thick, my fingers could barely wrap around them.  I would read at all hours of the day and night.  Even after being up most of the night with a 24-hour call shift, I was reading for the next day's case.  

Stamina is something my grandmother instilled in me.  In my junior year of high school, I had placed 64th at the state cross country meet.  I was disappointed that day, after having finished 32nd the year prior.  I trained relentlessly for the next year.  At the state meet in my senior year, I passed over 50 competitors in the last two miles and finished the race in first place.  I can picture my grandmother's face, beaming with joy when she handed me the newspaper clipping with the story of a student-athlete from rural Old Fort, Ohio, who won that state championship.  She carried herself with a similar pride for her whole family.  I've continued to run, a life-long passion, where I can spend time outdoor, pushing the ground beneath me.  As my footsteps propel me forward, my mind goes vertical, a time when I can pray and talk to heaven.  My grandmother's voices is with me, encouraging my every step.

The confidence and ethic that my grandmother impressed upon me has blessed my life in so many ways.  Her legacy lives on in my beautiful family.  I'm currently the age my grandfather George was when he left my Grandma Anna to be with the Lord.  I have a wife, Jana, who learned from my grandmother how to cut my hair, another favorite pastime that was enjoyed with grandma.  Like my Grandma Anna, we are frequently sitting our children down in a chair, encouraging them to read.

Grandpa Gerry, Grandma Anna first meet Juliana

Grandma Anna has four amazing children who have honored her, keeping faith in their heart, and blessing others.  Her oldest, Aunt Sarah, would have three younger brothers.  My grandmother's children are Sarah Hessick (Riehm), Paul, John, and David Riehm.  Riehms would continue to be born, from generation to generation, all of them boys.  After 15 boys in a row, our daughter, Juliana was the first Riehm girl to be born.  Julie (after her grandmother Julia, and Anna, after grandma Anna).

Anna Maggie Shollenberger-Riehm-Hill has quite a legacy.  A lot of things have changed since I sat there in that comfortable den chair, listing to my grandmother's voice with my little ears.  The blessings continue.  Juliana, now just graduating kindergarten, teaches her two younger brothers to read.  You can often find them cuddled up in a chair with a book.  Jana will be encouraging them.  We have a blessed family because of my grandmother Anna.  She would be so delighted to know, as we sit around reading as a family, Juliana is reading to not two, but three siblings.  Yes, if Jana is sitting close enough, all the little ears can hear.

God, thank you for giving us such a wonderful woman as a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and friend to so many.  Remind us to keep our faith and be encouraged.  Remind us to have little ears and listen to all the beautiful creations you have blessed us with in the short time we have on earth.  

The legacy lives on... 

In case you didn't understand the "little ears" reference above, Jana and I are expecting another baby around Christmastime.  Picture below is the other day when we told the kids our news!

Soon to be Riehm, family of 6!