By Sam Brattain
For The Herald Bulletin
ANDERSON — Hanging on the wall next to Henry Diedring’s sofa are some family photos, a visage of Diedring’s legacy which includes three children, five grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.
Today, the Diedring brood will celebrate Henry’s 99th birthday as well as his German heritage with 99 bottles of German brew.
His grandchildren have dubbed the event “99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall,” which will also feature brats, sauerkraut and German chocolate cake.
“The original goal was to have 99 beers. My uncle would build shelves to put them on the wall,” said Kelly Diedring-Harris, one of five grandchildren.
“But it will probably be closer to 50 different kinds ... There might be 99 beers there but I don’t think they’ll all be different.”
Still, that’s not bad for a 99-year-old father of three, grandfather of five and great-grandfather of four who still goes to Cracker Barrel for breakfast twice a week.
Coming over
Diedring’s father originally immigrated to Canada in 1914 after hearing that the streets were paved in “gold.”
He planned on sending for the rest of the family after he earned enough money, but the start of World War I delayed the reunion.
In the meantime, Diedring lived with his mother and brother in the German city, Westphalia. His mother worked in a prisoner camp to support the family during the war, while Diedring and his older brother John were in school. Diedring has not forgotten about his time in Germany, as he looks to a photo of his first-grade class.
“That’s for remembrance,” says Diedring, pointing out himself in the photo.
Diedring was 10 when he finally boarded a ship for Ellis Island on Dec. 21. They celebrated Christmas and New Year’s at sea, with strangers and other immigrants. On arrival on Jan. 3, 1922, Diedring and his brother knelt and kissed the ground.
The family eventually settled in Anderson, where Diedring has lived ever since. He married Sarah Louise Simmerman in 1940; she passed away about five years ago.
John Diedring got his brother a job at General Motor’s Guide Lamp, where he would work for 42 years.
He started out making 32 cents an hour on the assembly line, making everything from headlights to hub caps. Anderson’s diminishing auto-industry is still tough for him to think about.
“They took me by the old AC Delco factory and I cried,” Diedring said.
Baseball to fishing
A past master of Fellowship Lodge 681, Diedring is fond of his time as a Mason. He is a member of the Scottish Rite, whose grand commander sent him a card wishing him a happy birthday. Over his 64 years as a Mason, he has raised 128 masters, the last being his own grandson.
He also has a passion for baseball, which he learned early on from his American classmates.
“Kids over here talked more than anybody, they taught me baseball, cards, you name it,” Diedring said.
He lived in Cleveland for a short time and saw Hall of Famer Bob Feller pitch for the Indians. As a parent, Diedring volunteered his time coaching Little League; however, now Diedring says his sport is fishing.
A trophy of a northern pike he caught in Minnesota hangs above his bed. Diedring calls it “his baby.” He continued to fish well into his 90s, particularly ice fishing. His daughter Barbara Young said that he would go out at four or five in the morning and not return until four or five in the afternoon.
“We were all worried that he was going to fall in, which he did a couple of times,” said Young.
Diedring says he’s thankful to have lived to such an old age, but says it’s hard to remember everything that has happened to him.
“I tell you, these 99 years is a lot of stuff to remember,” Diedring said.
