Works Cited

• Cholski, Ellen. "Margaret Katherine Cholski." Funeral Alternatives of Washington | Planning & Services. 11 Nov. 2005. Web. 21 Nov. 2010. http://www.funeralalternatives.org/keepsake.asp?GBObitKey=305&ObitKey=305.

• Cholski, Margaret K., Bill Cholski, and Ellen Cholski-Daniels. Margaret and Bill's Stories. Olympia: Ellen Cholski, 2004. Print.

Favorite Song

As a child Margaret sung many songs. There was a historical song her mother used to sing her about the Civil War. Mattie, Margaret's mother, her father (Galen Van Valkenburg) a dummer boy in the Civil War.



Galen Van Valkenburg
 (Margarets Grandfather)



The Song Goes as follows:



Bring the good Old bugel boys.

We'll have another song.

Sing it as we used to sing it, fifty thousand strong.

Sing it while the potatoes come a sprouting from the ground

while we go marching through Georgia.

Hooray, Hoorah! The flag that makes us free

Hooray, hoorah! We'll sing the jubilee.

Im going to let my Grandma Grape tell a story that relates to the Civil War because it is about her Grandfather Galen Van Valkenburg. This is excerpt from a book Margaret, Ellen, and Bill published from home about there lives.

"When the War between the States broke out, the family lived in Erie, PA. Galen was fourteen years old at the time, and wanted to serve his side of the cause so badlym he ran away from home three times... At that time, his father organized a volunteer company and joined the War, too. Galen was so small he became a messenger boy. He was not large enought to carry a gun. In some of his campaigns he was a drummer boy, and he had to be carrried on the shoulders of men in the streams they had to ford. He was in the War to the finish; however, being so young when the fighting was over and wanting to return home so badly, he left for home without his discharge papers. So he had no record of having served in the Union Army. After the War, his family moved to Colorado and founded the town of Erie, CO." (Cholski Margaret K.)

Margaret's Artifacts

Growing up my Grandma Grape loved to see her father in his blacksmith shop.

"As I became older, I turned the forge for him and I loved it. Only by getting up on a box could I reach the handles. I wonder how much coal I wasted in my exuberance...Of course, this became my job, to turn the forge and to fetch and carry." (Cholski, Margaret K.)

From this she would watch her father bend and work with metals to create horseshoes or tools. I believe this is where she got her love for metal shop and later went into metal working and jewelry. Margaret would make the most beautiful jewlery for friends and family.

My Grandma Grape loved the Native American jewelry, Native Arts, and Mexican folk art. Every winter with her daughter,  Ellen, Grandma Grape and Papa Grape would travel to Arizona and stay in there sun home. I've only visited a few times to there sun home but I've been to Arizona at least 13 times.

These pictures will show you some of the different items she left for me after she passed away and there significance.

This is my Original Artifact. The Persian Turquoise necklace with matching earings. What is special about this item is that the Turquoise is soild, non-stablilzed turquoise mined from Persia/Iran. Margaret originally gave this set to her daughter, Ellen, who then later gave it to me. Margaret had taken the stone and set it into the silver base to create the necklace and earing set.

Always loving to work with metal, Margaret was always crafty. This is sprayed pine cone earing and necklace set, fused with silver to create a charm. They are very delicate and mean a lot to me.

With Grandma's love for Native Americans she purchased these charms for a pair of earings. The charm is of a native american girl.

Margaret loved Turquoise. She made these two necklaces. The one on the left are made of stones that are carved into bears. The earings in the center match. The necklace on the left show mulitple stones and turquoise in the shapes of birds and bears.

I remember when my grandma gave me these when I was little. She thought one day I would be able to wear them. They are inspired by the Native American jewelry in Arizona.

This is an agate bracelete. I was in the third grade when I recieved this as a gift. Its a beautiful tan color and its one of my favorites.

Document Insertion

(Cholski Margaret K.)

This document was important to Margaret because this was the sale of all the equipment and animals that her family were leaving behind after leaving North Peak, Colorado.

Margaret sent this ad to her sister Frances in 1928.

It was a memory of life they had before they moved from ranching life and entered mining.

My Aunt Ellen asked Grandma Grape if the sale ever went well and she said "It was fine except what happend to Coalie-Coalie...Eddie...showed off and jumped on Coalie-Coalie's back...Coalie-Coalie started bucking and rearing. When she was auctioned, the bidding was low, and the man who bought her was terrified of her."
 (Cholski Margaret K.)

Background on Margaret



Margaret 13 Months



July 12, 1916 Margaret Stretz was born into the world. Margaret was born in Louisville, Colorado and moved to Olympia in 1930 where she completed high school at Olympia High School.  She recalls memories from her early life as,

"It was a warm and loving time." (Cholski, Margaret K.) 

Her mother was named Mattie Van Valkenburg-Stretz and her pop was Robert J. Stretz. She remembered the house always being filled with music and  something sweet to eat.  

Louisville, Colorado back then was a mining town. Most of the settlers in there were from a German or Itallian heratage. Bob (Robert) was a blacksmith and he owned a blacksmith shop in town where he would iron wheels and horse shoes for the folks in their town. Her mother didn't approve of her always wanted to help in the shop ,but Margaret thought it was more fun then just staying inside all the time.

Margaret had 3 sibilings. Older Sister Frances, older brother Eddie, and younger brother Albert, 

"When it was the turn of my brother, Eddie, to watch me, he would take me out in the yard by a tree and say, 'Let's play horse.' He would tie me to the tree and then take off to play with his friends." (Cholski, Margaret K.)

When Margaret was three the moved to North Park, Colorado. The rented out a house in Coalmont because of a log cabin that was there from Uncle Ed. The log cabin was insulated with sod so it would keep them warm or cool throughout the seasons. They also moved to Sidney a few miles out of Steam Boat Springs, Colorado about when Margaret was in the 5th grade. Soon the moved to south of Steam Boat Springs to a place called Oak Creek.  According to Grandma (Margaret) Oak Creek was a pleasant place to live. They always had picnics and fun splashing and playing in the pools. Life soon passed and the family moved to Superior, Wyoming when Margaret was in the 7th to 8th grade. Finally the family moved to Olympia, Washington. Frances and Eddie by this time had already started their own lives out in Olympia.

Wedding Day

Graduating from High School in 1934 she had known her soon to be husband Bill Cholski all throughout high school.



"One day he came for a visit, and I fixed him a lunch. Of course, he did not like it or eat it, He was a finicky eater. We did not really date, just took long car rides together. One day he gave me a diamond engagement ring." (Cholski, Margaret K.)

Bill and Margaret were married on March 14, 1937. Since then they've had 2 children, 4 grandchildren, and 1 great-grandchild (me).

Margaret was a homemaker while Papa Bill worked at the Olympia post office for 30 years before retiring in 1970.

Time moves on and days and memories grow. Papa Grape (Bill) passed away on November 14, 2001. Margaret passed away November 10, 2005.

My Margaret

 Margaret Cholski to me was not Margaret. Margaret was Grandma Grape to me. When I was just learning how to speak I was not able to announciate "great-grandma." Instead her nick name, Grandma Grape, came into play and forever that is what I called her. I wasn't the only one who called her that too. After a while the name got around and everyone called her that.

I loved my grandma. She did so much with her church and with her family. Always making sure that everyone was taken care of and was happy and safe.

Grandma Grape had several hobbies which included, beading, drawing, canning, and story telling. I will tell you my favorite story that she told me.

This was after Grandpa Grape passed away some years ago:

Trista, you know you always got a smile. You're such a beautiful girl. I remember when you were just a baby you brightened my world. You know papa...He would always get into a grouchy mood. Sometimes he would get so grouchy Ellen and I couldnt stand it! So, we'd call your mother and have her bring you over so we could get some peace in the house. And when he would hold you everything would become calm and still. He loved you very much and so do I.

This is my Grandma Grape, Margaret.