Officially KleinBank!  In commemoration of the merger of nine individual banks into one, Al Liestman, President of the Victoria office of the new KleinBank, participated in a ribbon cutting ceremony in Victoria to which several community leaders were invited.  The event marked the opening of a new era in the 98-year old Klein family history of community focused banking.
     "This is an exciting day for us in Victoria and for all 17 other offices of the new KleinBank," said Al Liestman.  "A new powerful source of community banking has grown from the deep roots that have allowed all nine individual Klein banks to flourish in the communities they have served for many years.  Today we take community banking to a new level, where local decision making, local care, and local personal service is now supported by an even stronger financial base and array of serves. It is an exciting time for banking."
     The former Victoria State Bank has joined with the other eight banks that were members of Klein Financial.  Now all the banks have come together under one charter.  The Victoria office celebrated its new name with an Open House April 27^th, 28^th, and 29^th.
     The Klein family entered banking in 1907 when C.H. Klein bought stock in First National Bank of Chaska.  Today, with assets of $1.2 billion and approximately 450 employees, the new Kleinbank has a total of 18 offices in the Twin Cities' western and northern suburbs and in western Minnesota.
     Peggy Leuthner, KleinBank, Victoria, Minnesota

Victoria Relatives.  The old St. Victoria Catholic School pictured in this photograph was built in 1875, next to the St. Victoria Catholic Church.  This is a picture taken in 1905 in front of the school.  It includes all the students in the grades 1-8 and also Father Cosmas, OFM, and the sisters who taught school.  My mother, Hilda (Schneider) Wartman is sitting in the front row, fourth from the right.  I wonder how many people would know the names of every single person in the picture. 
     Top row (l-r):  Father Cosmas, Aggie Kaufhold (Weber), Katie Schmidt (Notermann), Annie Dressen, Sabina Derhaag, Veronica Schmieg, Annie Williams (Kelzer, Schneider), Katie Breher, Susan Notermann (Schneider), a Poppler.
     5^th row (l-r):  Josephine Williams (Kerber), Lena Bruns, Lena Schmidt, Susie Hoehn (Hoehns raised by Albert Schmidts), Mary Ida Schmidt (Leizinger), Susie Schmieg, Maggie Heutmaker, Mary Kelzer (Wellens), Katie Diethelm, Theresa Schmidt (Louis' daughter), Annie Heutmaker, ida Williams Heutmaker, Francis Schmidt (Notermann).
     4^th row (l-r):  John Schneider, John Winkel, Frank Kelzer, Paul Heutmaker, Martin Dressen, Leonard Bruns, Sister Bonaventure, Sister Blanche, Sister Salesia, George Heutmaker, Rich Heutmaker, unknown, Rose Diethelm (Mrs. Morse), Mary Schmidt, Sister Mechtilde, Frances Notermann (Aunt Frances), Julia Schmieg (Roggenback), Julia Diethelm (Rositch).
     3^rd row (l-r):  Art Heutmaker, Fennie (Ferdinand) Winkel, Frank Sschneider, George Kelzer, Len Schneider, Mike Williams, Katie Schmidt, Mary Breher, Clara Schmidt, Minnie Kaufhold, Dora Breher, Martha Schmieg.
     2^nd row (l-r):  August Kaufhold, John Specken,  Martin Schmidt, Flori Tschimperle, Jos. Van Sloun, Jos. Specken, Jos. Williams, Herb Heutmaker, Ed Dressen, Henry Derhaag, Theresa Tschimperle, Rose Schmidt, Annie Kaufhold, Henry Kaufhold, Katie Derhaag, Eleanor Heutmaker, Ella Tschimperle (Mrs. Art Heutmaker), Rose Heutmaker, Francis Hoehn, Minnie Schmidt.
     Front (l-r):  Willie Diethelm, Art Heutmaker, Frank Schmidt (Louis' son), George Schmidt, Ray Kelzer, Jos. Diethelm (Fr. Herbert), Ray Diethelm, Ben Diethelm, Alvin Dressen, Harry Dressen, Ed Tschimperle, Bill Williams, Len Williams, Pauline Diethelm, Esther Diethelm, Lena Breher, Rose Schmidt (Mary Ida's siste), Hedwig Schmidt, Hilda Schneider (Wartman), Theresa Diethelm (Mrs. George Schmieg), Frances Bruns, Helen Diethelm (Mrs. Bill Bongard).
     The old school was replaced in 1913 when the "new" brick school was built.  Then the brick school came down and was replaced by the Parish Center in 1975.  The Parish Center was incorporated into the new complex now completed in 2005.
     Mary (Wartman) Moore
     Victoria, Minnesota

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