Sharp County woman celebrates 50 years in US

By The Associated Press

Born in Germany, Annemarie Wolfe Avey is all American.

Celebrating her 50th year in the United States, she can't help but smile when remembering what brought her to this country.

Sitting on a floral couch inside her 19th-century home at Evening Shade, the 69-year-old admits it was love at first sight the day she met George Wolfe, a U.S. serviceman from Arkansas.

"I was in love, actually," Avey said, smiling, "and from then on everything went crazy."

When George returned to the States in May 1959 he never forgot Annemarie, and in September at the age of 18, she traveled more than 4,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean to be with her future husband.

"It was the most exciting time and the most saddest time," she said, "but, you follow your love."

What marked a happy occasion was underlined with sadness as it would be the last time she would see her father, Georg Mertz, who somehow sensed he would never see his daughter again, and died more than a year later.

Yet, moving to America and leaving her family in Grafenhausen is something Avey has never regretted.

"My first big trip, I came to Evening Shade, Arkansas," she said with a laugh.

Having always seen the western movies in Germany, it was just how Avey pictured it would be.

"It was old and rustic and I couldn't wait to jump on these horses (in the pasture) and have the time of my life."

The people were also friendly like George's mother, who welcomed her with open arms.

"She just greeted me, loved me and hugged me," Avey said, smiling, remembering their first meeting.

However, if Annemarie was going to marry George, Mrs. Wolfe wanted to make sure her future daughter-in-law knew a few things, including how to make his favorite foods so he'd never go hungry.

"Right away she taught me how to fix cornbread and how to fix his eggs," she said, adding that Mrs. Wolfe gave her the griddle she had always used to prepare some of those foods. Married Dec. 31, the couple soon moved to Ft. Mead , Md., where George worked in national security.

Being in the military they traveled a lot, from Bangor, Maine, to New York where their first son James was born in 1961, as well as Colorado Springs, Colo., where John was born in 1965, and Florida.

"Wherever I was, I loved it," Avey said. "It was just wonderful."

Being from another country "no one was ever mean to me," but, "I knew how to conduct myself. ... You have to adapt to it and I did. I loved it."

To overcome any language barrier, Avey, who knew some English, read comic books, watched TV and kept up with the news.

However, being a part of America and adapting to the culture were never difficult, she said. In 1971, the Wolfes returned to Evening Shade where George retired after more than 30 years in the U.S. Air Force.

The trip from Florida back to Arkansas is one Avey has never forgotten.

With a station wagon full of their belongings as well as a few of their chickens, ducks and all of her plants, Avey drove the more than 12 hours to Arkansas while George and the boys took a separate car.

Stopping at a gas station in Mississippi, Avey still laughs when thinking about the attendant who couldn't figure out why he was hearing the sound of a rooster's crow or where it was coming from.

"That man was so flabbergasted," she said, remembering his astonishment to find that the sound was coming from her car.

Once in Arkansas, however, Avey was just as shocked when one of those hens hatched 13 chicks. While not unusual, it was for this hen, which had only 11 eggs when they left Florida, she said.

Settled in Evening Shade, after nearly 18 years in the United States, Avey became a U.S. citizen on Nov. 16, 1977.

For her, there's no other country where she'd rather live, no other anthem she'd rather sing and no other state she'd rather call home.

"Every state had its beauty. Arkansas, this is where I made my mind up to stay," said Avey, who continues to be an active member of her community and supporter of its heritage. "I'm here, this is part of my town and I definitely want to build it up and be a part of it."

For Avey it's important that she gives back to the country and people that have given her so much. "I have to give back. What I have received, I want to give back. It's been such an honor."

In what ways, she said, all depends on God, who shows her the way.

For John's wife, Penny Wolfe, Avey is a wonderful example of what it means to be an American, and proud of it.

The American flag is represented throughout her home, her favorite colors are red, white and blue, "She's proud to be an American and she's not even from here (originally)," she said.

Still, Avey cannot believe that's it been a half-century since she stepped foot on American soil. "It's an unbelievable thing that it went that fast. I wouldn't have changed a thing. I'm just so happy."

Avey likes to think that George, who died in 1987, would feel the same. "I hope he would look down and say, 'Well done, my woman,"' she said, adding that she also thinks he would be pleased to know that Ralph Avey, whose wife died in 1989, came into her life.

Friends for many years, the two married in December 1994. "I think we needed one another," Avey said, smiling.

"I love to wait on him ... and take care of him." Having visited Germany nearly 10 times since moving to the United States, Avey said she hopes to make one more trip, "if God's willing."

Yet, celebrating her 50th year in America is something she doesn't think she'll ever forget. "I was overwhelmed. Words cannot express," Avey said, smiling, when recalling the party she held in September for family and friends to honor those 50 years. "It was the most honorable thing to be there with my people and my friends, and boy did I celebrate."