Landsiedel celebrates 100 years
By Brenda L. Shelkey
One of Gertie Landsiedel’s favorite memories of school was when her rural school teacher would write the lyrics of songs on the board then the children would sing her favorites, "Twilight Song" and "America." As Landsiedel celebrated her 100th birthday Oct. 9, a portion of the celebration was listening to family members play the piano and sing for the centenarian. During a large family gathering celebrating her 100th Fourth of July this summer, music was also part of the event. Music has been a part of her life since early childhood. She was the seventh child of nine siblings born to Andreas and Magdalena (Schlechter) Sayler. Among the children, Richard, Albert, Herbert, Robert, Hulda, Metta, Gerda, Gilbert, and Erna, the boys were the more musical. Richard played the horn and the piano and three of the boys played the concertina, and three played the violin. Landsiedel said, "We did a lot of singing. I still enjoy singing." The Sayler family moved from Napolean to the Richville area southwest of Underwood around 1903, before Underwood existed. From there they moved to the Coleharbor area where Landsiedel remembers, "We raised cows and had a big garden. During the summer we would go down to the river bottoms and pick Juneberries and currants." She also remembers the hard work. "When we came home from picking Juneberries, we still had to milk the cows." They raised 18-20 milk cows, used what cream they needed, and then sold the rest by taking it to Underwood where it went by rail to the Mandan Creamery.
