Paula Kromrei

Paula Fuhrmann was born to August and Pauline Fuhrmann on the 3rd of December, 1900 in Oerlinghausen, Germany. She was originally named and christened Pauline but changed her name to Paula after her father remarried a woman with a daughter from a previous marriage also named Pauline. Paula's mother died in 1914. Her mother's maiden name was either Geldmacher or Fillies. Paula did housekeeping work as a teenager. She was aware early on of the effect her figure had on men and told many stories of unwanted attentions and comments, but also seemed to love the attention. Paula remained close to her sister Frieda until her death. She and Ed emigrated to America in August of 1923. Their passport lists an address in Weitmar prior to leaving Germany. They spent some months in Wisconsin with Eduard's mother's brother and then moved to Ecorse in 1924. They built a house on Woodward Street in Ecorse and lived on Grosse Isle and had an apartment in Ecorse across from Dingel Park on Jefferson before moving into the apartment above Kromrei Motors. Paula was a meticulous housekeeper and fantastic cook. Sunday dinners in the apartment above Kromrei Motors are some of our family's favorite memories. She made great venison, rouladen, roasted chicken, sauerbraten, red cabbage, plum cake, etc. and I can still remember the fabulous aromas as we came up the stairs to their apartment. To get there we usually went through the front door of Kromrei Motors, which meant inhaling the smells of the shop, the oil and rubber of the tires. I find it intoxicating and memory-provoking to this day.