Foreign exchange student marries former Mondovi classmate

by Dana Serum

In 2002, Mary Jo and Garnie LaBair became host parents to a foreign exchange student from Düsseldorf, Germany. This past summer, an invitation arrived in the LaBairs’ mailbox. The headline read: “Aus Zwei Herzen Wird Eins,” meaning ‘two hearts become one’ in German. 

It was an invite they had been excited to receive for some time. It also meant that Max Kimmerle, the LaBairs’ former exchange student, was coming back to Wisconsin to marry a girl he met at Mondovi High School a little more than 10 years earlier.

On his third day in Mondovi, Max met Ashlie Koller, daughter of Michael Koller and Joy Koller. But the relationship didn’t start there. The two were just friends throughout their high school years. 

Mary Jo mentioned that she always thought Max had an eye for Ashlie, and the hunch only grew as the two began to reconnect over the years.

Ashlie says the pair have been friends ever since Max’s time in Mondovi and stayed in touch after he returned to Germany.

“We stayed in contact over the years, but did not start dating until after I took a trip to Germany to visit him in 2012,” wrote Ashlie via email. 

Their relationship blossomed quickly from there. Ashlie moved to Germany to be closer to Max, and they got engaged in October of 2013. The couple then moved to Milwaukee in April and prepped for their wedding, held Aug. 22.

The wedding reception was held at the LaBairs’ home outside of Mondovi. Mary Jo, Ashlie, Max’s grandmother and some other members of the families spent the day before the rehearsal dinner cooking traditional German foods, such as German dumplings made by Max’s grandmother, brats and sauerkraut. 

Mary Jo said there was a bit of a language barrier, as some of their guests knew little English, adding that when it came to cooking, words weren’t necessary in understanding what needed to be done.

Some of Max’s family and friends stayed at the LaBairs’ home in the days leading up to the wedding. Ashlie mentioned many of their German guests were not first time visitors to the United States.

“Almost everyone who came from Germany had been to the U.S. before but mostly they had been to places like New York and California,” she said. “They were excited to see a small town and really enjoyed their stay. Most spent a few weeks in America and enjoyed the stay in Buffalo County the best. Since they had seen city life in the U.S., it was really fun for them to see something different.”

Mary Jo stated that one of the places their guests seemed to enjoy visiting most was Mondovi High School. 

“We were so happy the school was willing to let them look around without any problems,” Mary Jo said, “They were very impressed with how clean the building was.”

The wedding, held at Villa Bellezza Winery in Pepin, fittingly included some unique German traditions.

“Max carried a candle when he walked down the aisle with his parents,” remembered Ashlie. “The candle was from his baptism. We also cut out a heart from paper. It shows teamwork since the paper heart is big but the scissors are very small.”

As the wedding festivities began to wind down, The LaBairs received a special gift from Georg and Ursula Kimmerle, Max’s parents. It was an antique horn formerly used to call dogs.

“It is something we will always cherish,” Garnie said, pointing to the horn’s many dents. “Who knows how old it really is. It’s really something.”

The LaBairs plan to visit Germany again within the next couple years. They have made so many lifelong friends and describe themselves as Max’s American family.

“Max is like a son,” Garnie said, “It’s like he has been ours all along.” 

“They are definitely like family to both of us,” Ashlie said of the LaBairs. “They were amazing host parents during his (Max’s) exchange year and he visited them almost every year after his exchange year. They welcomed me into their family as well. They were so helpful with the wedding. They are amazing people.”

Over the years, the LaBairs hosted two other foreign exchange students, Artem and Chen, hailing from the Ukraine and Taiwan, respectively.