Oktoberfest in July? He'll drink to that

Royal Meseberg waxed nostalgic on his youth in a German family during a German-themed party he helped arrange at the village at Gleannloch Farms in July.

Royal Meseberg and his late wife were some of the first residents to move into the village at Gleannloch Farms in June 2008.

Four years later, Meseberg got the first German band to perform for the monthly birthday party held for residents July 18.

Members of the active aging community in Spring enjoyed dancing to the sounds of Das Ist Lustig, which means that's fun in German, while quaffing German beer and eating German chocolate cake.

The event brought back fond memories for Meseberg, who spent part of his childhood on a rural farm in Germantown Township in South Dakota. The family grew grains — oat, flax, wheat and rye — and raised their own livestock. When his parents moved to town when he was 3, Meseberg stayed on the farm with his grandparents until he was old enough to go to school.

"I was so young, I didn't know we were in a bad Depression," Meseberg recalled.

That is, until his grandparents lost the majority of their holdings.

Despite its name, he said Germantown was a very diverse region, but he remembers speaking German as a child. Meseberg was also baptized and confirmed in a Lutheran church.

Meseberg, who served in the Marines, had a career that spanned 33 years, working as a district representative for Lutheran Brotherhood Insurance Co. of Minnesota.

But his best memories are of when he and his late wife lived in Dallas and went out polka dancing twice a month.

"That part of the heritage kind of stayed with me," Meseberg said about traditional dancing.

Meseberg still understands some German, but can no longer speak the language.

Meseberg decided to book Das Ist Lustig after hearing the band play at the German festival in Klein.

"I was really excited about their presentation and their music," Meseberg said. 

But when he returned to the festival to inquire about hiring the band, the members had left.

It took four phone calls, but Meseberg learned the name of the band. It took another phone call to the activities director at Gleannloch Farms to ask about having a German-themed party for the monthly birthday party held for residents.

While he can no longer dance, Meseberg still enjoys watching and listening to the music.

"There was a wonderful dinner and program," he said of the German festival and the performance by Das Ist Lustig. "It's worth going to."

NAME: Royal Meseberg
AGE: 90
COMMUNITY CONNECTION: He organized a German party at Gleannloch Farms.
FAST FACT: Meseberg's grandmother's last name was Frankenstein.