The entries in this section focus on growth, both in numbers and maturity. Our hope is that family members from the past will be remembered, those who are new will be welcomed and recognized, and those who carry the torch will help light the way. While Us: The Bannisters, the Stenlunds focuses on the history leading up to Andy and Ellen, we think it’s important to also preserve current happenings for those younger or yet to come. Additionally, we see a benefit in including information and input from aunts, uncles, cousins, family friends, and those who have been part of the development of where we are now.
As a starting point, the following 2008 Update is taken from pages 79-80 of the book. It is meant to give a glimpse into the lives of the families of Ellen and Andy’s two children at that time. For family photos, see Chapter 13, pages 81-90.
2008 Update
Ellen Bannister remains in her home in Perkins, although she has been looking into assisted living homes. She had a minor stroke in late spring but did not suffer paralysis. She is gaining strength every day. She loves playing her organ and working outside in the yard. Bethany Lutheran Church is still a huge part of her life.
Barbara Bannister and her husband, Gary Gagnon, remain in their home on M-28 in Chocolay Township just a few miles south of Marquette. Barb, a graduate of Bay de Noc Community College in Escanaba, retired from The Mining Journal in 2006 after nearly 30 years in journalism. Gary is still laying natural gas lines for InfraSource but hopes to retire in less than two years. Barb spends her retirement time canning, reading, and taking lots of photos of her grandchildren. Both Barb and Gary are golfers; Barb is active in a women’s league at a course just a few miles from their home. They spend some time during winter in Florida, where Gary has learned to fish from the beach.
Christina Vestich is now Christina Kleinheinz. She and her husband, Greg Kleinheinz, live in Winneconne, Wis. Chris, a Northern Michigan University graduate, is a stay-at-home mom raising their two children, Megan, 5, a kindergartener at Winneconne Elementary School, and Lindsay, 7, a first-grader. Both girls are splendid readers. Lindsay worships pink. Both of them love the above-ground pool Dad installed in the back yard this year. Greg is an associate professor of microbiology at the University of Wisconsin in Oshkosh. The family built a cabin on Beaton’s Lake just north of Watersmeet. They also have a travel trailer for summer trips with kids and friends. Sometimes they park it on the lot they bought in Bailey’s Harbor, Door County.
Laura Vestich, now Laura Kopsi, lives in Watersmeet with her husband, Duffy Kopsi. They met while attending Gogebic Community College in Ironwood. Laura works in the education department of the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians. She also is an emergency medical technician for the township. Duffy worked for many years in a lumber mill in Land O’ Lakes, Wis. He is waiting for knee replacement surgery in December in Marshfield, Wis. Their son, Alex, who just turned 18, is a freshman at Gogebic in Ironwood, studying to be a lineman. Andy, 14, is a freshman at Watersmeet High School.
Kelle Gagnon is now Kelle Honzik. She and her husband, David Honzik, live in Milwaukee. Kelle, a Gogebic graduate, is a corrections officer at the Milwaukee County Jail. Dave, a fireman, drives a fire engine for the Milwaukee Fire Department. They have two sons. Maxwell, 11, who just got his own cell phone, is a sixth grader at the Milwaukee School of Languages. After six years of German, he decided to study Mandarin Chinese this year. Zachary is a fifth grader at Milwaukee German Immersion School. He loves snowmobiling with his dad.
Andy Vestich and his wife, Joanna (Oikarainen) Houle-Vestich live in rural Hancock. Andy teaches social studies at Houghton High School and is near finishing course work on an educational specialist degree. Joanna, a business grad, is a supervisor at Superior National Bank in Hancock. Their son, Hunter Houle, 10, a dinosaur lover, is in fifth grade at Houghton Elementary School. The family usually takes one long trip in summer. They recently visited Colonial Williamsburg.
Mark Gagnon and his wife, Leann (Wylie) Kirch-Gagnon, live in Ishpeming. After years of working in a lumber mill at Sawyer, Mark recently got a job driving giant-sized trucks for Cleveland Cliffs, Inc.’s Tilden Mine. Leann is an advertising sales representative for The Mining Journal in Marquette. They have three daughters. Ashley Gagnon, 13, is an eighth grader at Negaunee Middle School in Negaunee. Bailey Kirch, 12, is a seventh grader at Phelps Middle School in Ishpeming. Brittney Kirch, 15, is a ninth grader at Ishpeming High School.
Larry Vestich and his wife, Jamie (Reuter) Vestich, live in Watersmeet. Larry, who also attended Gogebic, has worked for many years for the Gogebic County Road Commission, where he drives snowplow in winter and builds roads in summer. Jamie is a social worker with Northcare Community Mental Health in Ontonagon. Larry is hoping for an early retirement in 11 or 12 years and plans to build a home on land they’ve purchased near Chris and Greg’s lot in Bailey’s Harbor. Jamie’s family is originally from Door County. Larry and Jamie’s daughter Nicole, a Michigan Technological University business graduate, is living in Jacksonville, Fla. She and her fiancé Ben Biesterveld, an MTU grad in engineering, plan to marry next summer. Son Nathan, after two years of study at Northern, is attending college in Rhinelander, studying carpentry. He plans to join his uncle’s log home building business in Land O’ Lakes.
Donald Bannister and his wife, Nancy (Johnson) Bannister, live in Omro, Wis. After many years as a printer, Don went back to school and graduated from Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant with a Ph.D. in clinical psychology in 2002. He is now a psychologist with the Wisconsin Department of Corrections. Nancy, who studied nursing at Bay de Noc Community College in Escanaba, is a certified nursing assistant with advanced training in asthma and allergy. She works for an Oshkosh physician. Nancy reads, likes movies, and loves spending time with her family. Donald, a poet, is an avid reader who tries to finish one book each week. He’s also an award-winning runner.
Amber Bannister is now Amber Buschmann. She lives in the Madison suburb of DeForest with her husband, Josh Buschmann. A UW-Oshkosh graduate, Amber now works as director of Human Resources and Administration at United Way of Dane County in Madison. She enjoys spending time with her kids, running, walking and exercising. She and Josh have joined a bowling league. Josh is an insurance adjustor with WPS in Madison. He enjoys all sports, and coaches T-ball and soccer. They have three children. Abigail, who is 9, is a third-grader at Yahara Elementary School in DeForest. She loves shoes and making jewelry. Ryan, 5, is in pre-school in DeForest. He likes sports, especially baseball, and wants to be a farmer. Tyler is 1 1/2. He likes everything. His nickname is “Tyler the smiler.”
John Bannister and his fiancée, Roxanne Biedermann, are remodeling a home they just purchased in Neenah. He works as a drywall finisher. John attended UW-Oshkosh for a time. Roxanne spent a year studying at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. She now works for a landscape company in Appleton. Music is a big part of John’s life. He plays guitar and likes punk music. Roxanne likes to read; they both like going to wine tastings. John makes his own beer. They have a dog named Stanley.
Bethany Bannister lives in Neenah. She works as a job coach for vocational services at Goodwill Industries in Menasha. She is engaged to Brewster Deeg and they are busy planning a summer wedding. Brewster is employed by Taco Bell. Both Bethany and Brewster enjoy playing video games, watching movies, and hanging out with friends. They have a cat named Smokey.
Goal
Our goal is to encourage readers to view these postings and then share some of their own journey here, under Cast of Characters. We hope this section can be an avenue toward developing this family process. Feel free to use the reply section to add comments, photos, copies of obituaries or birth notices or whatever you hold dear.