|
Dan (Dumitru) Bercha married Katie (Ecaterina) Feica in
Alberta or Saskatchewan sometime in the early 1920s. They later
moved to the Detroit, Michigan area around 1924. According to some
family members, the move was made because of jobs available in
the auto industry which began growing and the call was
made for workers to all parts of the U.S. and Canada.
Katie died a few years after the move to Michigan in 1928. Her
death was attributed to diptheria, by one account, or heat stroke by
another.
Her untimely death provided fodder for one of the more
unsual family anecdotes involving Katie's mother, Anna. According to
family members, Anna was very much a believer in what some
would call eastern European superstitions or folklore. For
instance, she believed that if a black bird flew into your home, it
was a sign that there would be a death in the family.
Anna was also a believer in what might be labeled supernatural
senses. She believed dreams were signficant and could be
interpreted. She also, according to some family members, had what
could be called a sixth sense. I will let others decide and
wish merely to present the facts as they were presented to me. One
afternoon, Anna awoke from a nap and told everyone that "Katie is
dead." She had seen it in her dreams. The family was not especially
suprised at this declaration, they had witnessed Bunica's (Romanian
for grandmother) uncanny insights and signs of precognition before.
At that time on the farm, there was no phone, nor any other way to
speedily communicate with Michigan, or even the farm down the road a
few miles. About a week after Anna's statement on her daughter's
passing, a black-lined envelope, which was the customary way death
notices were delivered, arrived at the farm, confirming Katie's
death.
According to Katie's granddaughter, Linda Lee, "Dan never
remarried. I understand he was an interesting fellow. He was very
big and he worked as a laborer during the depression. Because of his
size he was always one of the first chosen to work in day labor.
Later he ran a 'blind pig' during prohibition and made his own
liquor to sell to friends and neighbors. He died of a sudden heart
attack about 1951."
When Katie died, she left to young
children, Vera, 5, and George, 3.
Vera was married to Tom Johns, who was killed in action in
France in WW II, they had a daughter, Diane. Vera later
married a banker, Edward Boltz. They had a son,
Edward. Diane lives in Illinois. Edward, lives in
Michigan. Vera died in 1983.
George and his wife, Joann, had four children: Linda, George, Dan
and Gail. Three of the children live in Texas, the fourth lives in
California. George died on Dec. 24, 1985.
nonsenseTo enter the
text that you'd like on your page, highlight this text with your
mouse and begin typing to replace it. Edit images by "clicking" on
them.
|