Delmer is the son of Elisabeth Ella [Bals] Patz and the first/oldest grandson of Henry Anton Bals and Elizabeth [Rickert] Bals.

1920 US Census: Delmer [3] is living with is parents John and Elizabeth in Crete, Nebraska.

In April 1921 his father John M. Patz dies from appendicitis. His teenage uncle, Herbert Heinrich Bals, farmed the Patz land that year before Ella, Delmer, and Mae moved into a second house on Henry and Elizabeth’s farm. Ella married Frank Schwader in July 1923 and which time the family moved back to their farm.

1930 US Census: Delmer [13] is living with his mother and step-father Frank Schwader in Webster, Nebraska.

After high school graduation, Delmer moves back to Henry’s farm to work but due to the Great Depression, the income is extremely low. In 1935, Delmer decides farming is not for him and as he states, “polished my thumb and reached California where is uncle Conrad Nave lived.”

1940 US Census: Delmer [23] is living in San Diego, California. He’s recorded as working in a city school cafeteria.

1950 US Census: Delmer [33] and his wife Martia Susan [29] are living in Los Angelos. He’s working as a division manager at a department store and she is presumably a housewife.

At age 86, Delmer passed on information/stores to Gene and from that we have his a partial family tree as well as great insight about himself, Henry/Elizabeth, and Ferdinand.