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The four Neuhaus boys and two girls were born at Papillion, NE in a beautiful old house. By 1920 the family moved to Knox County, NE, where the six were raised.
In 1941, Dad’s youngest sister, Helen, left Knox County, moving to the Papillion area to teach. There Helen met and married Bernard Schram and spent most of her married life in the house where she and her siblings were born, raising her family of three boys and a girl.
When Helen was dating Barney, she should have had a clue that besides being a wonderful man, he loved to play jokes.
Once while on a date, they were driving down the farm lane from his parents place in a Model T. Barney asked, “Would you like to learn to drive?” Helen answered, “Yes.” She was quite shocked when he unscrewed the nut from the steering wheel and handed it to her, saying, “Now, you can practice.”
Helen enjoyed a lifetime of love and playful pranks with Barney, while Mom, Arlene of the “Turd Bird” fame, and Barney were always matching wits and trying to top each other. Besides Barney’s challenge for her to make turd birds, I remember another.
Barney owned a lot of land around Papillion. He decided to sell some allowing Papillion’s expansion. But he made a stipulation…two streets had to be named after his sister-in-law, Arlene and her daughter, Gayle.
If you visit Omaha, NE, take a tour of Papillion to the south to find Arlene Circle and Gayle Street. Actually, this is one prank that backfired on Barney. Mom was thrilled.
Helen and Barney’s son, Ron, is continuing his father’s tradition and I, Arlene’s daughter, am one he likes to tease. Ron is a fun cousin, but I am not feisty like my mom, so I just enjoy him.
A Few Nuts From The Tree 