German-American Family Shares Special Significance That Tulsa Oktoberfest Holds For Them

An Oklahoma man is sharing his family ties to Oktoberfest in Germany and here in Tulsa. 

Related Story: Watch: Some Of The Fun Activities At Tulsa's Annual Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest might be in the middle of Tulsa, Oklahoma but the smells, the sounds, the sights- can take Mike Dodson's mom right back to her home country.

"I was born in Germany to the son of a military father and a German mother," said Dodson, "I didn't speak English when I came to America. I was a 6-year-old boy who spoke German."

Coming to America wasn't easy, but Mike says his mom made sure to keep her family in the states as connected to their German roots as possible.

"She was a really good cook, so we always had good German food, and we saw our family often- we are able to go back to Germany and visit our relatives," said Dodson. 

The family has gone to Oktoberfest in Tulsa together over the years!

"It takes her right back to her home country. This Oktoberfest has the same features that the Oktoberfest's do in Germany," said Dodson. 

Mike's mom is 89 years old now.

"We used to volunteer in the early 80s and do the food in the German-American Society tent so that is really where it all started," said Dodson. 

Mike is now an Oktoberfest Board Member.

"It is important to me; it is important to my two adult kids, and it is important to pass on those traditions," said Dodson. 

Helping show Tulsans a piece of his background that made him, who he is.

"She takes pride in her German heritage; she also takes a great deal of pride in the fact that she naturalized and became a U.S Citizen....she was the youngest of 4 sisters in her family by a long way. For her to leave her entire family and come to the United States, was a pretty courageous thing," said Dodson. 

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