Guentert Family Will Be Honored as Best ‘Wurst’ Family at Sausagefest

The 2025 Schulenburg Sausagefest is proud to honor the Curtis Guentert Family as the 2025 Best Wurst Family of Schulenburg Sausagefest.

The Sausagefest (free admission all day) will be held on April 5 in downtown Schulenburg. Sausage making was a staple for their family. Curtis’ oldest daughter Tootsie Adams (husband Tommy) commented that she enjoyed making sausage with her grandfather Guentert where she would stuff the sausage in casings and he would tie the links. Processing animals for customers also helped raise and support a family of 10 (Curtis, his wife and eight children).

Curtis mentioned Tootsie was the heart of the family in everything they did. Tootsie is a lifelong resident of the Schulenburg area having worked in the processing plant until 26 years old and spent many years as a personal banker in local community banks.

In the entrepreneurial spirit, the family business included a full meat processing plant, custom farm work (mowing/baling hay, planting coastal sprigs, etc.), catering business that also helped prepare the meat for St Mary’s High Hill church picnic and the Freyburg Mayfest in earlier years. Tootsie commented that dad seemed to want to keep the family busy. Audrey Kristynik (2nd oldest, husband Anthony) mentioned the girls of the family worked as hard as the boys in the field, in the slaughterhouse, meat cutting room and catering. After highschool, Audrey worked at Luby’s and a steel company in Houston before returning to Schulenburg to work at UTEX and then at Schulenburg ISD where she retired last year.

“What an adventure – if you could write a book on all the things we did – we would not have to work,” she said.

Darryl (fourth child, wife Donna) was the “jack of all trades” in which he would be sprigging coastal in the afternoon and by 7 p.m. they were loading the catering van with meal items, driving to catering jobs in Ellinger, etc. and would peel potatoes all night just to stay up. After returning to Schulenburg from working in Florida and Mt. Belvieu, he worked at BWI and now does custom farm work/ bulldozer work. One time his daughter was asked by a school friend what does your daddy do for work: “his daughter said my daddy plays with dirt because he did not have time when was growing up.”

Darryl commented the apple does not fall too far from the tree. Carla Nevels (third child, husband Terry) ran the country store and would clean the processing plant after all butchering/meat processing/ sausage making was complete each day.

Curtis starting processing animals in Freyburg and then moved to High Hill upon his brother Clarence helping him buy the High Hill country store in the 1950s. Curtis and Clarence worked for Eastern Seed during the day and would process animals on nights and weekends. They would process the animals and would carry the sides of beef/pork on their back 150 yards to the store cooler. In the early 1960s, due to inspection regulations and the demand for their processing services, he built an expanded the processing building. While this was being built, the animals were processed at Johnnie Kasper’s facility. Later Curtis returned the favor or processing animals for Mr. Kasper as he expanded his facility near Weimar. Curtis would hire local youth for his businesses and primarily in the meat processing business: Willie Joe Svetlik (who was his head butcher and later opened his own processing plant Willie Joe’s), Robert Besetzny (who later owned Oakridge Retaurant, Bill Srubar, Travis Sternadel; Billy Joe Runnels, James Holub, Rudy Kutac and others.

Terry (fifth child, wife Lisa) commented it was hard work but it was fun also. After working till 10 p.m., they still enjoyed going hunting the rest of the night. “We did not get much sleep, but it made us who we are today,” he said. Terry went back to school in 2007 to attain his law enforcement degree and is a Fayette County Sheriff’s Deputy (Thank you Terry).

Darren (sixth child, wife Wendy) was the youngest and found himself processing animals and also doing the cleanup since his siblings had already left to do their thing. He looked forward to that cold beer from the cooler albeit if it was nine at night or two in the morning. Darren now owns Hrncir Oil and joined the Schulenburg Fire Department in 2003, in which he is the active Chief since 2023 (Thank you Darren).

Curtis unfortunately lost his first wife to cancer in the late 1970s. It was a blessing that he met Jeanette Dieringer (who lost her first husband) and her wonderful children who joined the Guentert Family. Curtis and Jeanette married and then they became a family of 10 who all did their part. Our thoughts go out to Curtis daughter Jean and Jeanette’s children Jimmy and Debbie who are no longer with us.

Mary Krupala (husband Rudy) worked with her mom to prepare meals and take care of the house for the Guentert family. Upon graduating high school, she received a nursing degree from Victoria and worked in nursing for 43 years. She had fond memories growing up and she/Rudy still make smoked sausage every year.

Darrell Dieringer (wife Cheryl) was an integral part of the Guentert family business. Curtis remembers when Darrell could not pick up the hay bales to load on trailer and Curtis told him just to roll them – someone else would load. Darrell Dieringer picked up the trait of a meat cutter where he has been working for HEB for many years and also processes deer in Mountain Home.

The Guentert’s prided themselves on making pork, beef, deer and head sausage for their customers. Back then, they used a gallon hand crank stuffer and cranked out 500 lbs. in a day from the shop. Daryll remembers James Holub and himself butchering 21 steers, hogs and lambs after a local stockshow.

The Guentert family was actively involved with the Schulenburg FFA as they attended Schulenburg High School, being involved in many activities. The family supported many exhibitors through purchasing the projects at the sale.

Curtis recalls receiving a call from Germany from a couple who inquired if he knew a place called Freyburg, Texas. Curtis commented that he did and also mentioned there was a church and old country hall. The couple asked if they come visit from Germany would Curtis make them homemade sausage and homemade sauerkraut.

Curtis did serve the homemade sausage and the sauerkraut that was 3/4 full in a crock. The Germany visitors ate almost all of it!

The Guentert siblings still make sausage today to carry on the heritage. You can bet they still have that special seasoning and probably can tie the sausage links in their sleep. Quality control was always at the top of the list and ensuring none ever hit the floor during smoking. The Guentert’s eluded that, yes, it was always hard work but they would never change anything in the world. Curtis mentioned that the children never had school homework because there was always work at home waiting for them. He did mention that time was made every Sunday to attend church.

We can definitely say the Guenterts’ implemented the “Farm to Table” concept a few years back. All are invite everyone young and old to come to the Schulenburg Sausagefest and share your stories with the Curtis Guentert family under the main tent (2 p.m. – 4 p.m.). We invite families to join them to keep the legacy of sausage making a long-lasting tradition. We have a suspicion Curtis will sneak off to the cookers for a little while.