Eisenschenks chosen as Lions Y2K King, Queen

by Cori Hilsgen

news@thenewsleaders.com

Lee and Elaine Eisenschenk were chosen as this year’s Senior King and Queen, sponsored by the St. Joseph Y2K Lions.

Elaine Eisenschenk, 68, said they were surprised to be chosen.

“We were very much honored to be selected,” she said.

Riding in Myron and Lenore Felix’s red convertible during the annual July 4 parade she said was also an honor.

“It was fun to see so many people in the crowd and be a part of the parade itself,” Elaine said.

Choosing a senior king and queen is an ongoing tradition.

St. Joseph Y2K Lions member Kay Lemke said the king and queen are chosen based on their volunteerism and service to the area.

Y2K Lions members discuss and vote on the king and queen. Some people choose to decline the honor for various reasons.

Lemke was selected as the queen last year and rode in the parade with Bill Wasner, the king.

The two had passed their crowns to the Eisenschenks during the June 8 Y2K Lions monthly meeting, recognizing them as the new senior king and queen.

Lemke said she enjoyed being chosen as queen last year.

“It was wonderful,” Lemke said. “Seeing all the people lined up, smiling and waving, and seeing how many people the parade draws to town is really amazing and exciting.”

Elaine and Lee, both 74, are ushers and help clean the Church of St. Joseph. She is the president of the St. Ann’s Mission Group and participates with playing bingo at Arlington Place Assisted Living and playing cards at the senior apartments, assists with making quilts, is part of the Willing Hands group at church, helps with social Sundays, helps with the Fourth of July festival, volunteers at the St. Joseph Food Shelf and more.

He helps decorate the church and hang banners for Christmas and Easter, helps set up and take down stands and works at the Fourth of July festival, is a Knights of Columbus member and works breakfasts and hamburger sales, and more.

Lee is also a member of the American Legion in St. Joseph and has marched for about 40 years with the Color Guard, usually helping to lead the July 4 parade. Since he rode as the senior king this year, he did not march with the Color Guard this year.

He said though he was honored to be the senior king, he missed not being in the front of the parade with his fellow Color Guard members.

As a member of the American Legion, he performs with the Color Guard for burials, including once a month in Little Falls for Honor Guard burials. He also organizes ditch clean-ups.

Both visit home-bound members of their church. Years ago, when Elaine and Lee visited some members, she noticed many of the elderly needed extra help getting transportation to doctor appointments, getting their groceries and much more.

Elaine gathered names of other church members who would be willing to help drive the elderly and arranged transportation schedules.

She continued to arrange and help with the elderly transportation needs even while doing full-time daycare for her grandchild, often bringing her granddaughter along with her. Elaine did this for several years before she started caring for more of her grandchildren and then a nun from St. Benedict’s Monastery offered to take over the transportation scheduling.

“When I was helping care for a 1-year-old and two babies, I still tried to find volunteers to help,” Elaine said. “When the fourth grandchild came along, I knew I couldn’t do it anymore.”

Elaine and Lee have been married and lived in St. Joseph for 48 years. They have four children and nine grandchildren.

The two met at a dance when Lee came home after serving in the U.S. Army for two years, 18 months of which was spent in Vietnam.

Elaine was a stay-at-home mom until her children attended school. She then helped a neighbor paint, stain and clean apartment buildings and later worked at Linneman’s Grocery Store in St. Joseph before starting her own residential cleaning service.

When tendonitis in her wrists forced her to slow down, she volunteered with the elderly, helped care for her grandchildren until they started school and was self-employed for 10 years as a caregiver for a woman who had suffered a stroke.

When Lee was discharged from the Army, he worked in road construction for 18 years and later worked at St. Cloud State University for 23 years doing general repairs, welding, snow plowing and pouring cement.

One of his hobbies is woodcarving, and he’s active in the Central Minnesota Woodcarvers Club. Lee has made hundreds of clinging crosses, which he has donated to area hospice needs and for many other people who have requested them. He usually tells people to say a rosary for Elaine and himself and then will not charge them for the cross.

Lemke’s records of past kings and queens date back to 1985 and include: 2015 Bill Wasner and Kay Lemke, 2014 Joe and Shirley Miller, 2013 Lloyd and Nita Bruemmer, 2012 Marvin and Carol Mastey, 2011 Norb and Dolores Dardis, 2010 Bob and Nettie Pfannenstein, 2009 Chuck and Ann Scherer, 2008 Maurice and Rita Palmersheim, 2007 Bill and Sally Lorentz, 2006 Ray and Jean Weyer, 2005 Norm and Judy Hansen, 2004 George and Margaret Molus, 2003 Arnie and Ann Lauer, 2002 Darol and Ellie Studer, 2001 Esther Reischl and Bill Elfering, 2000 Don and Geri Schwab, 1999 Othmar and Marilyn Schmitz, 1998 Leo and Dorothy Sadlo, 1997 Leander and Delores Meyer, 1996 Herb and Winnie Dehler, 1995 Ozzie and Bernie Thelen, 1994 Art and Edith Hiemenz, 1993 Lee Kapsner and Judy Meemken, 1992 Pat and Nellie Zahler, 1991 Bodie and Mac Schneider, 1990 Joe and Florence Molitor, 1989 Roman and Lucille Klein, 1988 John and Martha Kierzek, 1987 Al and Vera Schloemer, 1986 Max and Celia Kuebelbeck, and 1985 Herb Dehler and Loretta Rassier.