Henneks celebrate 50 years

When Mildred Waits came to Saratoga in the summer of 1962, she did so to help her sister who was nursing Saratoga resident Ruth Edwards. That summer, Mildred met the man who would become her husband and life partner, Joe Hennek. Although Mildred still had two years of high school to finish, Joe traveled back and forth to Hanna, to date Mildred, until her graduation from Hanna High School in May of 1964.

The couple was married on Aug. 22, 1964 at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Rawlins, Wyo. by Fr. Hmelosky and will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Saturday, Aug. 23 at an open house luncheon at the Hotel Wolf from 1 to 3 p.m. Friends and family are invited to join the couple at the celebration. Anyone may also attend the 5:30 Mass at St. Ann's Catholic Church on Saturday, Aug. 23 when Mildred and Joe will receive a special blessing from Fr. Joey Buencamino.

Mildred said that summer, she and her sister, Judy, were downtown shopping, and three boys followed them home. One of the boys was Joe Hennek. Joe had lived in Saratoga since he was 6 years old, and was employed by R.R. Crow at the local sawmill when he met Mildred.

After their wedding, the couple planned a honeymoon stay at a cabin in Ten Mile. On the day of their wedding, there was a fire in the dry kiln at the sawmill and Joe was called to help fight the fire, which he did until the iconic Virginia Crow happened by and asked, "Weren't you married today?" When he answered in the affirmative, Virginia used her clout as the wife of R.R. Crow to get Joe off the fire fighting squad so he could go on his honeymoon.

Mildred and Joe share many of the same interests and a love of the outdoors, particularly the Snowy Range. Both come from hardworking families; Mildred's father was a coal miner and Joe's father worked as a railroad boss. Their mothers were both homemakers. The couple says they learned from their parents a strong work ethic and had to do chores from an early age. Both are World War II babies and said often there rough, tough and hard times.

The couple share their Catholic faith and Mildred said they are so blessed to both come from strong Catholic families. She related that Joe's Grandma Hennek, while a petite 4'6" tall, was a powerhouse of the Catholic faith, traveling from Rawlins to ensure that Joe and his siblings were baptized in the Catholic Church and received the sacraments of First Communion and Confirmation. Their shared faith has gotten the couple through some of the "rough and tough" times since their wedding.

Joe and Mildred have three children: Natalie Cisneros, Neil Hennek and Bert Hennek and his wife Tanya; 10 grandchildren ranging from 10 to 28 years old; and their first great-grandchild, a girl, is due in November. At Mildred and Joe's 25th anniversary celebration, Natalie copied Mildred's marriage bouquet to be the cake topper for their 50th anniversary because the original topper was lost.

Mildred does have her wedding dress and it still fits. Joe borrowed a suit from his uncle for the nuptials, but the uncle was later buried in the suit, so "it's unavailable," Mildred joked. Mildred's dress will be on display at the open house.

Joe and Mildred have lived most of their married life in Joe's boyhood home, which was willed to them by Joe's parents, Harry and Betty Hennek. Although they own the house, they just this year got clear title to the property on which it sits from the railroad that used to run through Saratoga.

Joe has worked for sawmills most of his life, beginning with R.R. Crow, then Hines Lumber and Louisiana Pacific. Between Hines Lumber and Louisiana Pacific, Joe put in 33 years until its closing forced him to take an early retirement at age 64. After his retirement, Joe worked as a Jack-of-All-Trades doing small engine repair, car repair, carpentry, Head Start bus driver and other odd jobs. "I did whatever I could to survive, " he said of those years. More recently, Joe also worked as a consultant for the newest owner of the sawmill, Saratoga Forest Management, for several months during the start up phase. Laughing, Joe said, "I have sawdust in my blood."

Mildred has cleaned house for almost everybody in town, and worked for Betty Eaton when Betty had her Western store. Betty Eaton and Marie Tatum (age 93) were some of the first people Mildred met in Saratoga after Joe. Mildred also worked at the Medicine Bow Lodge for 13 years and had worked for Old Baldy Club for five years when "Jane Gallagher decided she wanted me all to herself," Mildred said. Mildred is still employed by the Gallagher family, Vic and Pam, after 42 years.

One of the secrets of their 50 years of married life is Mildred and Joe Hennek are a team and do everything together (except hunt), whether it's working on a project at the church, remodeling their own home or doing favors or helping with projects for family, friends or employers.

"We're a team," Mildred said, "A force to be reckoned with." Indeed, their teamwork, shared faith and a sense of humor all reflect the joy they have in being partners for 50 years.

They both agreed, "We feel so blessed living in Saratoga, an awesome community, and having the fellowship of so many wonderful friends, church family and a son and family here to share our life with. No we did not come in on covered wagon, but where has time gone? The best is yet to come."