As webmaster for DonHershey.com Peggi fielded a few requests from relatives of an original owner of one of Don Hershey’s mid-century marvels, requests to alter comments that the previous had sent along. Her grandmother’s house wasn’t “pink/orange” as her aunt, who grew up in the house and is pictured on the right above, described it so it is now labeled as coral. The house is on the market and we were invited to an open house house last night and learned that there are four Hersheys in a row on Hickory Ridge.
I fell in love with these paintings, ones an anonymous Guatemalan artist did of the woman’s three girls.
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Enjoyed seeing our portraits posted on your blog. The artist who did them was not anonymous, but was named Marian Mombiela de Suremain. Her father (Mombiela) was Guatemalan, and her mother was Polish. Her parents divorced before World War II, and the mother took the 2 girls home to Poland – very poor timing. The outcome was that the mother was shot by German soldiers, and the 2 girls escaped. Their Guatemalan father was able to bring them back to Guatemala after the war. Marian married a Guatemalan of French descent and raised a large family. I am still in touch with her youngest daughter Geraldine. Marian specialized in painting indigenous people in Guatemala. She was well known in the country and held many exhibitions and shows.
The youngest of the 3 Bowie sisters, Katy – who you met last week – attracted the attention of our artist friend in a grocery store in Guatemala when my parents came to visit me while I was there on a Fulbright scholarship. She wanted to do Katy’s portrait, and my mother agreed. We became friends and she did my portrait as well. She lived about 2 blocks from where I did while studying in Guatemala. After that my mother begged her to do a picture of Nancy from photographs, and Marian consented. Nancy’s portrait travelled from Guatemala to Rochester in a pickup truck! The portraits have been in the living room at 65 Hickory Ridge Rd since 1965.
Marian Mombiela de Suremain died in January 2012, just a week or so after my mother died.
That’s not correct. The Mother of Marion Mombiela came from Germany. Before World War II she went back home to Pommern in Germany. There she married again. In the last days of War she was missed in Pribbernow at the day the Russians came.
My grandmother (mother’s mom) is the artist, Marion Mombiela de Suremain. I loved finding the picture of the portraits. She was such a talented artist.
Sven, how did you know my grandmother?
I’m on a quest to find out more about her life.
Sven and Lorena – just found your postings. I have lost track of Geraldine, with her Christmas card being returned to me last year. I went online to look for any link to her.
I was sure Marian had said her mother was Polish, but our conversations were over 55 years ago!
If anyone has an address for Geraldine, please let me know. I also knew Alex Mombiela, a younger half brother of Marian. Do either of you know him?
My sisters and I each have our portraits in our own homes now.
Barbara Bowie-Whitman
Barbara and Lorena – I had common anchestors with Marion Mombiela long time ago. So I read in different sources (e.g. Deutsches Geschlechterbuch) to get more information. There is an interesting article in La Hora, Guatemala:
https://lahora.gt/hemeroteca-lh/se-fue-una-gran-artista-marion-mombiela-de-de-suremain/
Because Suzemin as the place of birth of her mother Meta Albrecht was polish after 1945, maybe she said her mother came from Poland.
Barbara and Lorena, if you have any questions or more information about the artist Marion Mombiela and her family history, you can contact me per mail: pwa13 at an.haustein.it
Sven