'Ribs' lady retires

At 88, she's been convinced to quit working

By RON LARSEN

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- Sally Mielke was in the midst of raising a family when she heard the Veigels who ran the Kaiserhoff restaurant needed a dishwasher. She applied and was hired on the spot.

That was 53 years ago, and Mielke, now a young-looking 88 years of age, hung up her work apron for the last time (maybe!) Tuesday at 4 p.m. She'll be honored at a retirement party at the restaurant Sunday, Dec. 12.

Did she plan to make a career of working at the restaurant?

"Oh, my, no. I just wanted to help them out because they didn't have a dishwasher," Mielke recalls.

But, she didn't stay a dishwasher very long. The owners soon coaxed her into cooking. Over the years she became known as the "ribs" lady at the restaurant which has been known, in particular, for its delicious ribs.

She says there's no particular secret to the ribs' special flavor.

"I just cook them and hope they don't get too dry," she says with a laugh.

When she's not cooking ribs, you might find her fixing another Kaiserhoff specialty, Ray's salad. Or you probably will find her cleaning up in the kitchen or helping other employees with their work, says co-owner Jan Veigel.

"She's always has a smile, some advice, and she's always doing something. She's also the restaurant's historian. She's made up scrapbooks with pictures and stories about the restaurant and its employees," Veigel said.

Her scrapbook-itis doesn't stop there.

"I love photography, and I make up scrapbooks of my pictures," she admits.

She particularly likes to take pictures of nature scenes, and, of course, there are scrapbooks full of photos that she has taken in visiting her 11 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren who are scattered about the country.

When she first started working at the restaurant, she and her husband and family lived across the street above the Shopper so she naturally walked to work. However, when she and her family moved to a home on North Washington some eight blocks away, she continued to walk to and from work whether it was broad daylight or after midnight or inclement weather, her daughter, Jan Ginn, explained.

"I guess I should have learned to drive, but I never did. I never had any problems, though," Mielke said. However, fellow employees would often give her ride home.

Owner Don Veigel said he "was surprised" when Mielke told him she was retiring.

"She wouldn't even think about it before," he said.

Ginn 'fessed up that she and her siblings had convinced their mom that it was time to retire while she was still in good health and could enjoy traveling.

However, Jan Veigel said she's not so sure Mielke's decision to retire will be a lasting one.

"I think she just might be willing to come back here every once in a while to help out and see that everything is going right."