Alley Family Roots

A Love Story in the Shadow of the Eifel Mountains, began in the small village of Shuen Ecken. In the heart of post-World War II Europe, an eager 19-year-old boy named Willis Earl Alley was the son of Vernon and Isa Mae. He was the middle child born into a tribe of 12 field workers. Earl was glad to get out of the cotton fields of Little Rock, Arkansas and dive into a grand adventure. Overseas, over there!

Earl found himself in the transformative journey that God had planned from his beginning. Earl enlisted in the Air Force, and he quickly ascended through the ranks, ultimately earning the title of an intelligence officer. The echoes of past battles still lingered in the air as he jumped from a fighter plane and landed in Germany.

There was a mysterious allure within the beauty of Shuen Ecken, a tiny farming village set at the very top of the Eiffel Mountains. The remote roads had been destroyed with bombs, and innocent village people had been killed. Evil had gotten away with a tragic genocide. Earl absorbed the sorrow and the breathtaking landscapes. He also mingled with what his folks back home thought was the enemy. A bright 17-year-old- only-child named Maria had let her braided hair loose to fall and shimmer in the sun.

Maria embodied the innocence of youth and the resilience of a nation rising from the ashes of war. She engaged a bold direct dialog with God while burying the dead war horses. “Why does a loving God allow such injustice?” Earl had mastered the language and was able to share his views and lamentations about war. Maria was relieved to hear that a foreigner agreed about the nonsensical elimination of innocent citizens. They shared their dream of continued peace, among stolen moments in the shadow of majestic peaks. It was a stark contrast to the turmoil that had engulfed a country at the mercy of a crazy dictator. The bond of humanity deepened with every conversation. The gap between their worlds was filled with God’s love, and a future to include children.

Passion blossomed under the starlit sky of the Eifel Mountains, and a whirlwind romance ignited their spirits. They dreamt of a future together, even as uncertainties loomed large. Before long, in a simple ceremony filled with hope and promise, they exchanged vows. Two became one against a backdrop of mountains that had witnessed countless good and sad stories.

In 1948, with a heart full of hope and a passport full of dreams, Maria ventured across the Atlantic to the United States, where they would build a new life. As she stepped onto American soil, the couple stood at the threshold of a new beginning, ready to forge a path together in a land teeming with opportunities.

Earl and Maria’s life story, encapsulates the resilience of the human spirit and the ability to find love amid chaos. In the quaint town of Stockton, California, they would weave their own tale—one of adventure, growth, and unwavering courage that transcended borders and time. This was not just a union of two young souls; it was a fusion of cultures, dreams, and destinies that would shape their lives forever. Trees of Tradition

Reflecting on their journey, humanity is reminded that fate knows no boundaries, even in the most tumultuous times. God is the power that brings individuals together, creating new beginnings and endless possibilities. Through trials and triumphs, the echoes of their love story continue to resonate, through their three children. Joseph Bennet, Maria Jeanette, and Barbara Sue. Ben, Mary, and Barbie.

Momma was a globe trotting artist, an activist, a writer, a seeker of truth, a legal German immigrant who survived war. I marvel at mom’s determined spirit and I thank God that He chose her to be my mother. Love never departs, Love never dies, Love prevails. There was a general sour feeling about German people, and my mom was met as a trespasser on American soil. Maria was hungry for acceptance and love, and she did her best to live as a conventional, acceptable wife and a loving mother. Maria was raised by three very stern aunts.

Mom was not a cook, nor did she play bridge or indulge in any hobbies until after she was 60 years old. She did not tolerate whining or complaining, for her it was about working and getting the task at hand completed. As a child we were never given a chance to be bored as she assigned all of her tribe responsibilities. Our chores and our homework had to be finished before we could go outside to play. I learned that my Mother was not allowed to cry as a child, and that she was hidden behind the counter of the family coffee shop.

She had silky blue eyes that perceived the world as she would have it. Her hair was thin and her mind was sharp. Mom was a voracious reader and never without an opinion about anything. She loved a good mystery and her thirsty mind soaked up books on a vast array of subjects. She loved the Vienna waltz and composers that never produced a shrill sound. Being the youngest of three children I believe that I grew to know her more deeply than my siblings. We were neighbors in the Napa Valley and our visits were frequent. Mom moved back to Germany in 1975 and in 1979 I traveled to meet her new groom. James Crane attended Harvard and was a foreign diplomat, he was the Director of the American Embassy in Hannover. The Gospel of our genealogy is the work of God. Turns out that Barbara Herzig was a believer in Jesus who prayed for Maria and her entire future family.

After many hours of persuasion, Mom relented and took me to visit Shuen Ecken. Enjoying coffee and cake with Lily (a neighbor who took care of grandma Barbara Herzig) they joyfully reminisced in German, and I inspected the grounds outside to find a memento. I pulled a rusted lock from the decrepit, abandoned, out-of-service wooden outhouse. Lily gifted me Oma’s bed warmer and the family coffee grinder. Mom was a painter of all things odd, and a collector of post-cards. My sister and I spread Mom’s ashes near Bell Rock in Arizona. We said goodbye in Feb 2016, and Momma Mia took her final breath in March 2016.