Pearl Irene Gleichmann

William Frederick and Margaretta "Margaret" (Hahn) Gleichmann

• Mary "Mame" Gleichmann
• Margaret Gleichmann
• William Frederick Gleichmann, Jr.
• Louisa "Lizzie" Gleichmann
• Jacob "Jake" Gleichmann
• Bertha Gleichmann
• Kathryn Anna Gleichmann
• Marion Geraldine Gleichmann
• Caroline Emaline Gleichmann
• Harriet Estelle "Stella" Gleichmann
• Pearl Irene Gleichmann

• William Frederick Gleichmann & Margaretta "Margaret" Hahn

• Pearl Irene Gleichmann & Howard Elwood Burdick
  • John (Dave) Burdick & (1) Lenore Rasmussen & (2) Ann Remeselnik
    • (1) John Burdick & Janet Brooks
      • Nellie Burdick & Keith Beaubien
        • Elizabeth Beaubien
        • Magdalene Beaubien
      • Annie Burdick
      • Emily Burdick
        • Rozalyn Burdick
    • (1) Howard Burdick & Lois Kirk
  • William Burdick & Norma Westerfield
    • Donna Burdick (died as infant)
    • Lauren Burdick & Robert Edsall
      • Robert Edsall
      • Ryan Edsall
    • Margo Burdick & (1) Thomas Plank & (2) Gregory Brown
      • (1) Matthew Plank
      • (2) Kylie Brown
    • Curtis Burdick & Elizabeth (Liz) Todd
      • Aaron Burdick
      • Cary Burdick
    • Douglas Burdick & Katarina (Kate) Zbruzova
      • Briana Burdick
      • Hana Burdick
      • Juliana Burdick

Pearl, my grandmother, was the youngest of the Gleichmann Girls. She passed away in 1975. Before she died, Pearl had the forethought to write down the names, birth dates and death dates of her parents and siblings. She wrote this on a sheet of paper and passed it onto Marcella Van Brunt (Marcia's mother) for safe keeping. It is because of this simple artifact, shown below, that the history of the Gleichmann family is preserved.

Pearl met Howard Elwood Burdick and they married in 1925. In some ways, they were the classic example of opposites attracking. Pearl was reserved and conservative. Howard (or "Bud" or "Doc" as he was often known) was a bit on the wild side. Nevertheless, they had a long, strong, and caring marriage that lasted the remainder of their lives.

They made the trek from Pennsylvania to Detroit, Michigan. Howard became a well-known veternarian and Pearl raised their two boys, Dave and Bill. Both boys grew up to have families of their own and, well, here I am.

My grandmother died when I was in college. I didn't see her much in her final years, but I remember her quite well. I also remember some of the stories about her and my grandfather. Being a few years older than me, my brother John remembers a lot more. My favorite is how, when young and dating, Bud convinced Pearl to "shimmy" on a Lake Erie ferry, causing them to be thrown off the boat for indecent dancing! I don't think she ever forgave him for that. And the delightful confrontations between Bud and the Gleichmann girls, primarily Caroline, always made family functions interesting!

I am so grateful that Pearl recorded her family's history, and so glad Marcella Van Brunt and her daughter, Marcia, preserved it. That gift is truly appreciated by the Gleichmann descendants.

Howard Burdick
April, 2006