Sitting around a campfire and sharing stories with neighbors is a Liberty Lake tradition. This month, as part of its 2015 "Neighbors and Neighborhoods" series, the Liberty Lake Historical Society invites you to visualize and enjoy a "fireside" conversation with the Rademacher family. Before we introduce these neighbors, some background.

The Rademacher family has resided on Lilac Lane in Liberty Lake about 84 years, five generations and three houses. Their story begins in the fall of 1925 when the widow Abigail ("Abbie") Corrigan Myette (1887-1966), mother of two teen daughters Margaret and Mildred, was working as a beauty operator in Spokane and married Dr. John G. Lovell (1878-1939). At that time Liberty Lake, known as "the Inland Seashore", was in its heyday with resorts, summer cabin rentals, picnics, dancing and entertainment - the perfect destination to enjoy summer activities. Around 1931 or 1932, Abbie and Dr. Lovell bought a summer lake home on Lilac Lane at Kamiakin and remodeled it into a year-round residence around 1937. John and Abbie, her daughters Mildred (1909-2011) and Margaret (1906-1995) along with Margaret's husband Cletus Rademacher (1907-1993) and their three children Joan Guell, Susan Pendelton Greany, and John Rademacher (1933-1999) all lived together in their family home on Lilac Lane.

On a recent dark and stormy evening, I had the pleasure and privilege to sit in Joan Guell's living room while she and her son, Craig, reminisced about their family, neighbors and the changes they have seen through the years. 

After completing Kinman Business College, Mildred Myette worked for Safeway in the accounting department. She lived with the family in Liberty Lake until the late forties, then moved to Spokane where her mother Abbie joined her shortly thereafter. Mildred never married. After retirement, she traveled the world, played golf and visited her family. For the last 15 or so years of her life, her grandnephew Craig Guell would pick her up and drive her out to Liberty Lake for family get-togethers, Fourth of July celebrations and Christmases. Mildred lived to be three months short of 103. 

Margaret Rademacher was an RN, first in private-duty nursing and later as a county health nurse. She, along with their Liberty Lake neighbor Dr. "Jack" Blair, helped bridge the "medical needs" gap for the rural lake community. No payment was expected nor received for their services. Craig fondly remembered that his grandmother could make any mishap better by the application of a butterfly bandage.

Margaret married Cletus Rademacher in 1929, just as the Great Depression was ushered in. Joan Guell recalled that around 1950, Charlie Young, who ran the telephone exchange behind Brownie's Store on Melkapsi, and his good friend George Riopel helped her dad build their new house on Lilac Lane where Joan now lives. He worked at Kaiser then Northern Pacific/Burlington Northern Railway, retiring as an assistant yardmaster. After that Cletus volunteered full time for over 15 years at St. Mary's Catholic Church doing everything from maintenance to mowing the 10-acre playing fields to running the printing press. In 1988 he was selected by the Spokane Council on Aging as the Male Senior Citizen of the Year. With that honor he was in the annual Armed Forces Torchlight (Lilac) Parade, his first at age 81.

The Depression and World War II brought hard times. Joan's family planted a 100-by-120 foot Victory Garden. They had 250 chickens (in a coop south of today's Liberty Lake Church) plus a cow and three pigs (in a borrowed barn on today's Liberty Lake Golf Course). It was Joan's childhood jobs to take care of the chickens and share a paper route with her sister Susan. They roller skated up and down the Wicomico Beach sidewalk which ended at the old Dance Pavillion, particularly enjoying the fun house mirrors lining the walls that led out to it. Joan earned spending money by picking cherries and apricots at Cox Farm on the east side of the lake. As often as possible, she bought 10 scoops of ice cream at Brownie's. It seems Joan came by her love of ice cream naturally; she was born in the hospital in Hamilton, Mont., above a soda fountain! 

Sue followed her mother's calling and went into nursing. After marriage, three children and a move out of the area, they returned to the lake then settled in the Valley. Sue now lives in Greenacres; her children (Cathy, Melissa and Stephen) and families in the Valley; and one granddaughter (Ashley Segadelli) on Liberty Lake's Legacy Ridge. 

Joan's brother John spent one year in the Navy's Blue Angels as the lead solo #5 plane.  Craig fondly recalled that when his uncle came home, he'd buzz the lake. "He came from the south, over the ridge line, swooped down over the lake, pulled up on the north end before continuing on to Fairchild." In his obituary his family wrote, "Throughout his 21-year career with the Navy, Cmdr. Rademacher exemplified the qualities of a top-rate aviator. He ultimately earned 41 medals and awards, qualified in 55 different aircraft, flew more than 4,000 hours and brought his plane safely home to 500 carrier landings."  One son (Brett) lives at Liberty Lake.

Craig Guell lives across the street from his mom in the house where he grew up. The double-sized yard invited neighborhood friends to play childhood games like kickball, tag, Mother May I and Red Rover. Another popular game was ditch 'em - hide and seek with tag rolled into one and played over the entire neighborhood rather than a backyard. Back when children were safely allowed to play outside unsupervised, Joan merely had to whistle. "Coming!" her two boys would respond and head home. 

Craig and his brother Chris camped in today's Quinimose area, enjoying the freedom living at Liberty Lake provided. Without today's lights, they could clearly see the star-filled night sky. The Wicomico sidewalk his mother roller skated on lead him to Sig's Resort, the perfect stop for a cold soda or penny candy, even if on his way to Brownie's for more candy. When in high school, Craig enjoyed Sandy Beach Resort for its hamburger stand and girls wearing swimsuits. "A high school boy's dream," he recalled. He remembered the little cabins at Ted Week's Resort on the north side of the lake. He watched the hydroplane races from Crown Point with Jim Meyers. Growing up at the lake was a unique time in a special place. Although Craig's brother Chris moved away years ago, he and his family often come back for holidays to visit with family.

As I listened to the joys and challenges this family has faced, there is evidence of their love, not just for each other, but for the Liberty Lake community. Friends and neighbors have played a role in creating five generations of happy memories - and counting - as the Rademacher descendants continue to gather at the family home on Lilac Lane. 

The wind, rain, and thunder I drove through to get to the Guells' had stopped. A rainbow appeared over the lake, fading only as night began to fall. A chorus of frogs sang to me all the way home. There is something so satisfying about an evening spent with people who love where they are, at peace with who they are and where they came from, that gladdens the heart.