Erna (Heinsiek) Weinrich, the youngest child of William and Katharina
   Hensiek, was born August 20, 1916, at Nashville, Kansas. She was baptized
   by Rev. F. Meyer at St. John's Lutheran Church, the first to be baptized
   in the new church. For three years she attended the small Lutheran school,
   Pastor Duecker being the teacher. After the new school was completed, she
   finished the eighth grade as well as being confirmed in 1930.
     Her activities at Nashville were singing in the choir, being a member of
   the Walther League and teaching a Sunday School class. In 1940, she graduated
   from the Halstead Hospital School of Nursing and then worked two years in
   St. Mary's Hospital in Winfield, Kansas, and then worked later as a private
   duty nurse.
     On June 8, 1941, Carl William Weinrich and Erna Hensiek were married in
   St. John's Lutheran Church at Nashville. Carl was born and baptized in Alva,
   Oklahoma. He was an accountant for thirty-five years for Conoco Company. He
   died December 19, 1975, in Ponca City, Oklahoma.
     Erna later became an industrial nurse at the same company.
     Erna and Carl were blessed with two children. Gretchen Weinrich Young was
   born June 23, 1942, in Ponca City. Gretchen married a Presbyterian pastor 
   and they presently live in Richardson, Texas. They have two children, David
   and Laura.
     William Carl Weinrich was born March 1, 1945, in Ponca City. William (Bill)
   graduated from the St. Louis Seminary in 1972 and is now teaching at the 
   Fort Wayne Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana; he is also a chaplain in the
   U.S. Air National Guard. He married Barbara Eifert and they have three
   children: Rebecca, Rachel and John.
     In 1969, Carl and Erna and their son, who was then studying in Basel,
   Switzerland, visited the church in Heeslingen, Germany, where Erna's mother
   was born, baptized and confirmed. In Osnabruck, Germany, they were privileged 
   to see the church where Erna's father was baptized. These were wonderful
   memories. In 1983, Erna and her daughter Gretchen were on the Aid Assn. for
   Lutherans tour to East Germany visiting the areas where Luther lived and
   died. This was celebrating the 500th year of his birth.
     Erna remains active in the church at Ponca City with Bible study groups
   and LWML.
     "I treasure my Lutheran heritage and thank the Lord for His many blessings
   in my life and pray St. John's in Nashville will continue to be a blessing
   for everyone," Erna wrote.
                         
  Source:St. John's Lutheran Church Centennial 1893-1993, Nashville, Kansas, pg. 94 
  Submitted by: Erna (Hensiek) Weinrich