William (Bill) Backhaus was born in Mankato, MN in 1915. His parents were Albert Fredrick Backhaus and Hattie Smith Backhaus.
He married Orpha Marion Henjum on June 21, the year unknown at this time.
Bill served 5 years in the Army during WWII, being stationed in such places as the Aleutian Islands, Anchorage, Alaska and California.
Bill and Orpha had three sons: David Keith, Terry William and Robert Duane.
In October of 1945, Bill and Orpha bought the bakery in Garretson, SD, which they operated until 1951. They then sold the bakery and moved to Sioux Falls, SD.
In 1956, Bill and his family moved to California. They settled in Alhambra in Los Angeles County. Bill worked for Van de Kamps Bakery for many years before retiring.
Bill and Orpha were tireless volunteers at Grace Lutheran Church in Alhambra, where Orpha worked part-time as a secretary. Bill also baked beautiful wedding cakes for members of the family and special friends. His recipe for cookies called "Raisin Rocks" is a closely guarded family secret to this day.
Bill and Orpha had four grandchildren: Annalisa and Keith Alan, the children of Robert and Jennifer and Joshua, David's children. They have two great grandsons: Mark David Brown Jr, Annalisa's son who was born in 1996 and Joshua's son, Ben.
At one point, the doctor had told Bill to quit smoking. Instead, he continued, but hid his cigarettes in his sock so Orpha wouldn't know he was still smoking. I'm sure she knew, though...noting got past her...she had raised three boys!
Bill passed away in his home in Alhambra after going to buy a pack of cigarettes! He is buried next to Orpha in the Norway Lutheran Cemetery in Garetson, SD.
Update Nov. 2019: Bill and Orpha's great-grandson, Mark Brown and his wife, Jasmin (Hogue), had a daughter, LilyAnn Rose Brown in Oct 2018. Bill and Orpha's grandson, Keith Backhaus and his girlfriend, Casey Sanderson, now have a daughter, Molly Mae Backhaus, born in Sept. 2019.
He married Orpha Marion Henjum on June 21, the year unknown at this time.
Bill served 5 years in the Army during WWII, being stationed in such places as the Aleutian Islands, Anchorage, Alaska and California.
Bill and Orpha had three sons: David Keith, Terry William and Robert Duane.
In October of 1945, Bill and Orpha bought the bakery in Garretson, SD, which they operated until 1951. They then sold the bakery and moved to Sioux Falls, SD.
In 1956, Bill and his family moved to California. They settled in Alhambra in Los Angeles County. Bill worked for Van de Kamps Bakery for many years before retiring.
Bill and Orpha were tireless volunteers at Grace Lutheran Church in Alhambra, where Orpha worked part-time as a secretary. Bill also baked beautiful wedding cakes for members of the family and special friends. His recipe for cookies called "Raisin Rocks" is a closely guarded family secret to this day.
Bill and Orpha had four grandchildren: Annalisa and Keith Alan, the children of Robert and Jennifer and Joshua, David's children. They have two great grandsons: Mark David Brown Jr, Annalisa's son who was born in 1996 and Joshua's son, Ben.
At one point, the doctor had told Bill to quit smoking. Instead, he continued, but hid his cigarettes in his sock so Orpha wouldn't know he was still smoking. I'm sure she knew, though...noting got past her...she had raised three boys!
Bill passed away in his home in Alhambra after going to buy a pack of cigarettes! He is buried next to Orpha in the Norway Lutheran Cemetery in Garetson, SD.
Update Nov. 2019: Bill and Orpha's great-grandson, Mark Brown and his wife, Jasmin (Hogue), had a daughter, LilyAnn Rose Brown in Oct 2018. Bill and Orpha's grandson, Keith Backhaus and his girlfriend, Casey Sanderson, now have a daughter, Molly Mae Backhaus, born in Sept. 2019.
William (Bill) Backhaus was born in Mankato, MN in 1915. His parents were Albert Fredrick Backhaus and Hattie Smith Backhaus.
He married Orpha Marion Henjum on June 21, the year unknown at this time.
Bill served 5 years in the Army during WWII, being stationed in such places as the Aleutian Islands, Anchorage, Alaska and California.
Bill and Orpha had three sons: David Keith, Terry William and Robert Duane.
In October of 1945, Bill and Orpha bought the bakery in Garretson, SD, which they operated until 1951. They then sold the bakery and moved to Sioux Falls, SD.
In 1956, Bill and his family moved to California. They settled in Alhambra in Los Angeles County. Bill worked for Van de Kamps Bakery for many years before retiring.
Bill and Orpha were tireless volunteers at Grace Lutheran Church in Alhambra, where Orpha worked part-time as a secretary. Bill also baked beautiful wedding cakes for members of the family and special friends. His recipe for cookies called "Raisin Rocks" is a closely guarded family secret to this day.
Bill and Orpha had four grandchildren: Annalisa and Keith Alan, the children of Robert and Jennifer and Joshua, David's children. They have two great grandsons: Mark David Brown Jr, Annalisa's son who was born in 1996 and Joshua's son, Ben.
At one point, the doctor had told Bill to quit smoking. Instead, he continued, but hid his cigarettes in his sock so Orpha wouldn't know he was still smoking. I'm sure she knew, though...noting got past her...she had raised three boys!
Bill passed away in his home in Alhambra after going to buy a pack of cigarettes! He is buried next to Orpha in the Norway Lutheran Cemetery in Garetson, SD.
Update Nov. 2019: Bill and Orpha's great-grandson, Mark Brown and his wife, Jasmin (Hogue), had a daughter, LilyAnn Rose Brown in Oct 2018. Bill and Orpha's grandson, Keith Backhaus and his girlfriend, Casey Sanderson, now have a daughter, Molly Mae Backhaus, born in Sept. 2019.
He married Orpha Marion Henjum on June 21, the year unknown at this time.
Bill served 5 years in the Army during WWII, being stationed in such places as the Aleutian Islands, Anchorage, Alaska and California.
Bill and Orpha had three sons: David Keith, Terry William and Robert Duane.
In October of 1945, Bill and Orpha bought the bakery in Garretson, SD, which they operated until 1951. They then sold the bakery and moved to Sioux Falls, SD.
In 1956, Bill and his family moved to California. They settled in Alhambra in Los Angeles County. Bill worked for Van de Kamps Bakery for many years before retiring.
Bill and Orpha were tireless volunteers at Grace Lutheran Church in Alhambra, where Orpha worked part-time as a secretary. Bill also baked beautiful wedding cakes for members of the family and special friends. His recipe for cookies called "Raisin Rocks" is a closely guarded family secret to this day.
Bill and Orpha had four grandchildren: Annalisa and Keith Alan, the children of Robert and Jennifer and Joshua, David's children. They have two great grandsons: Mark David Brown Jr, Annalisa's son who was born in 1996 and Joshua's son, Ben.
At one point, the doctor had told Bill to quit smoking. Instead, he continued, but hid his cigarettes in his sock so Orpha wouldn't know he was still smoking. I'm sure she knew, though...noting got past her...she had raised three boys!
Bill passed away in his home in Alhambra after going to buy a pack of cigarettes! He is buried next to Orpha in the Norway Lutheran Cemetery in Garetson, SD.
Update Nov. 2019: Bill and Orpha's great-grandson, Mark Brown and his wife, Jasmin (Hogue), had a daughter, LilyAnn Rose Brown in Oct 2018. Bill and Orpha's grandson, Keith Backhaus and his girlfriend, Casey Sanderson, now have a daughter, Molly Mae Backhaus, born in Sept. 2019.
