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Harriet Reece is the winner.

Hans Wetter is the subject of Week 54 of Orofino History Trivia.

Hans Wetter was the oldest of 11 children and was born in Switzerland in 1914. He immigrated to the U.S. with his family and attended schools in Tekoa and Plummer. He earned his B.A. in journalism from University of Idaho.

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He worked for the U.S. Forest Service in blister rust control in the St. Joe National Forest and rode the rails finding harvest jobs during the Great Depression.

After college, he worked for a number of newspapers including the Clearwater Tribune, Idaho Statesman and Spokesman Review. He later built a successful insurance business from which he retired in 1979.

He was involved in a number of community organizations including Kiwanis, Chamber of Commerce, Junior Chamber of Commerce and Odd Fellows. Baseball was a big part of his life and he is honored with a plaque at the Orofino High School baseball field for his support and involvement with the game. In his book, Swiss Boy Adopts America, he speaks of what a big part of his life it was beginning at age 10 when he played sandlot work up.

He died in 2002.

His daughter, Stefani Wetter Gress shared these memories of her father:

"I have so many memories of my father, Hans Wetter. When I was a child, one of my favorite things to do was to visit him in his insurance office where he spent many hours and pretend that I was his secretary. He would let me type on the old typewriter sitting at the desk.

"Dad was the adventurous type and took us on many short excursions on the backroads of the mountains, down old dirt roads that led to beautiful scenery and dilapidated old buildings, probably barns or someone's old house. My parents bought one of those old cabins on the North Fork before Dworshak Dam was built, where we would picnic, spend the day on the beach looking for arrowheads, swim in the river, and roast marshmallows and hot dogs over the fire.

"Dad came from a large family, being the oldest of 11 children. We had many wonderful family reunions, usually in Plummer, where the numbers grew as we grew up, married and had families.

"I was the youngest of four children, and had the privilege of going with my parents to Switzerland, where my father was born. What a beautiful country it is! Dad took some awesome photos of the Alps. He was an excellent photographer.

"I think the thing that touched my heart the very most about my father was how tenderly he cared for my mother when she had cancer and couldn't do all the things she usually did for him. They had been married over 50 years and mom had him pretty spoiled!

"After he was gone, we 4 siblings were delighted and honored to be able to attend the first Hans Wetter 4th of July Baseball Tournament. It was fun to be back in Orofino, where we were all born and raised and have so many fond memories. Dad was a good and faithful husband, father and provider and taught me to be an honest and decent person."

Photo: Hans Wetter (Photo courtesy of Stefani Wetter Gress)

Monday: Dirt and sand.

Tuesday: Bases.

Wednesday: Blister rust.

Wednesday: Newspaper.

Thursday: Swiss.

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Sponsored by Les Schwab Tire Center:

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302 Johnson Ave. * Orofino, ID 83544 * 208-476-5589

For more Information & Products, check the Les Schwab web site.

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