My name is Katie Ballesteros.  I am a Kindergartner in Mrs. Cariker’s and Mrs. French’s class at St. John’s Lutheran School.

When I was just a baby, Pastor Klinkenberg baptized me and, a year later, he baptized my best friend, my cousin, Caroline Kunau.  We both wore the baptismal gown that one of my Great Grandfathers, Harold Leichtfuss, wore when he was baptized by Pastor Kogler, in St. John’s in 1915, and then, before I wore it, my mommy, Mandy, and my Aunt Betsy wore it.   It was so exciting because our church is so pretty and Jesus is looking over us and loving us all of the time.

When I was in Preschool, my Grandma Kathy took me into the huge brick building that is next to church.  She took me inside and over to the drinking fountain and asked me to look up!  There was a statue of a happy man with a moustache who she told me that he was her Grandfather and my Great Great Grandfather.  He was fun to look at.  Then she told me a really nice story!

"Because worshiping was VERY important to her, they always attended church."

My Great Great Grandfather, Charles K. Walker, came to Orange with his wife and 6 children.  He came all the way from Oklahoma to live here by some of his wife’s family.  It is sad, but he died only 5 years after they moved here.  His wife, my Great Great Grandmother, was very worried.  She had 6 children and she needed to take really good care of them.  They all went to school at St. John’s Lutheran School because she knew they would learn very important things about God and Jesus and also how to be good children.   Because worshiping was VERY important to her, they always attended church.  My Great Great Grandma, Helena Walker, was a farmers’ wife, a homemaker and mother.  She loved her church and wanted there to be a place connected to the church that could be used by all of the groups that attended and supported the church.  She decided that the church could use a big building for everyone to use.  There was to be a gym for the children and adults to play basketball, a basement with bowling and card rooms, a large auditorium and even a special place for the ladies who made beautiful quilts.  She talked to the Pastor and she decided that she would donate a building in memory of my Great Great Grandfather, Charles K. Walker.  That building was named Walker Memorial Hall.  I love this story!

Caroline and I think our church and Walker Hall are very, very big and beautiful.  My mommy told me that I am the 5th generation in my family to attend St. John’s Lutheran Church.  I am not quite sure what that means, but I know I love everything about my church and my school.

Katie

Katie's Family:

Parents:  Rene & Mandy (Leichtfuss) Ballesteros
Grandparents:  Dave & Kathy (Walker) Leichtfuss
Great Grandparents:  Ted & Betty Walker
Great Great Grandparents:  Charles K. & Helena Walker

RESTORATION PROJECT

PHOTO STREAM

RESTORATION BLOG