HEY! That's my Niece!

Grandchild carries on Valpo parks legacy

June 20, 2007
By James D. Wolf Jr. Post-Tribune correspondent

VALPARAISO -- Kaitlyn Cook's preparation for her summer job with the Department of Parks and Recreation began early.



Her grandparents were Marilyn and Ordell Gertsmeier, a driving force for the parks from the 1980s on.

"I have memories of going to the park boards' meetings early in the morning," before grandma took her to school, she said.

When Foundation Meadows Park began, "I remember her coming home and talking about 'What should we name it?' " Cook said. And her first-grade handprints are still part of Valplayso.

"It was definitely natural to come back to the parks (department) and work for it and be part of it," said Cook, who is majoring in nursing at Cedarville University in Ohio.

Cook's major follows a family sense of service, like her grandparents, who worked for the Boys & Girls Clubs before the parks.



Former Parks Director John Seibert met Cook's grandparents in 1980 before he became director in 1985. Ordell became a charter member of the park foundation in 1989, and Marilyn took his place when he died.

"Anything that happened between 1990 and 2001, she was in the middle of," Seibert said.

When the community-built Valplayso Park went up, Gertsmeier gathered many of the volunteers and came every day.

She also worked for Fairgrounds Park, Lakewood Links and Creekside Golf course, he said.

The parks recognized the Gertsmeiers' contributions by naming the footbridge in Rogers-Lakewood Park after Ordell in 1996 and adding Marilyn in 2005.

Beyond her drive, Seibert recalls Gertsmeier's graciousness, writing notes of thanks, encouragement or advice.

"Things that lot of people would like to say we do, she did," Seibert said.

Parks Director Steve Doniger recalls Gertsmeier as honest and a good sounding board for ideas.

"If Marilyn said you need to do something for the parks, you did it. She was so passionate and dedicated," Parks Marketing Coordinator Kelly Deal said.



Deal saw that in Cook before she knew who she was.

"From the second I met her, I thought she would be good for the job," Deal said.

Cook, who's finished freshman year, probably won't stay with the parks, especially with ROTC obligations after graduation.

But for summers, she's working by what grandma built.

(You can click on the title of this post for the link to the original Post-Tribune article.)

~~JD~~