For Future Generations

As told by Robert Wank in March of 2000.

Hi. When my father, Harry married Bernadine he changed his last name to Wank. He was born as Harry Wink in Brooklyn in 1880. I found him in the 1920 census living in Brooklyn, married to his first wife Gertrude with his daughter Hazel, son Harry, and daughter Gamie. In 1920 his mother Emily (nee O'brien) now 61 was living with Harry's brother George. In 1900 the census showed them in Brooklyn, father John Wink (age 44) mother Emily, sons Harry and George(17), and daughter Margaret(13). The 1880 census taken just before Harry was born, showed John Wink, Emily (b.Connecticut), son John(2), and mother-in-law Bridget O'brien (77) who was born in Ireland. John Wink was born in New York and his mother was born in Germany. His father was from Germany or France, we're not sure yet.

I'm not sure why Harry changed his name from Wink to Wank and mother doesn't know either. I think it might have something to do with his previous marriage. When we moved from Minnesota to California in 1956, we found my cousin Helen (George Wink's daughter) in Las Vegas. She was the owner of the Hitching Post motel that we stayed at. Her mother had left George when Helen was a baby and she never knew her father. We had a nice visit and got to tell her all about her father. When we went back to visit her the next year we found that she had died - I guess we got there just in time in 1956.

Maybe someday we'll resolve this question about the Wink vs Wank name, but it was listed as Wink in three of the census's that I found so I gues my real name should be Wink. But for now I'll stick with Wank.

Bob Wank (wink)