Another son of John Frederick and Madeline Hunziker besides Walter Sr., is well remembered in Langley.
He is Herbert, or Bert as he was popularly known. He was a grown man when his parents and siblings left the Falkland Islands and he remained for a time in South America. It was there that he met his wife, Edie, who also is well remembered in Langley. She was born in Nottingham, England. After living in England and Scotland for a time she made a trip to South America.
In an interview given to the South Whidbey Record in December, 1971 on the occasion of her 82nd birthday Edie told the story of her life and of her meeting with Bert Hunziker. It follows in part.
“Bert proposed to me while I was visiting in South America but I didn’t answer then… but as I was walking up the gang plank, though, to take a ship back to England, I waved my answer. He took the next ship to England.”
They were married in England in August of 1914, “just after England entered World War One.”
In a return trip to Argentina they adopted a daughter who is now living in California.
The Hunziker family moved to Whidbey Island in 1924 when Mrs. Hunziker was about 35 years old.
“We lived in Langley right where the new bank is now.”
Mrs. Hunziker said that her husband built model ships, including the model now displayed in Skippers Inn, Langley.
“Bert really worked on those ships,” she said, “and he gave them all away.” He died in 1956.
The island hasn’t changed much, according to Mrs. Hunziker, “except they’ve pulled down a lot of trees and replaced them with pavement. I guess time marches on, though.”
Many people will remember Edie Hunziker as a volunteer librarian in Langley for thirty years. “We used to have parties and dances in the library in those days,” Edie said.
Edie Hunziker, nine-year resident of White Acres, was honored at a surprise anniversary party. She reminisc¬ed during and after the meeting about her life and her love for living. —Whidbey Record Photo.