The five generations stand side by side, with the most recent generation represented in the front by Scarlett Miller. Back: Lillian Fruhwirth of New Ulm, Diane LeBrun of Gaylord, Kimberly Becker of Coon Rapids, Rebecca Miller of Tampa, FL (L-R) Front: Scarlett Miller of Tampa, FL.

NEW ULM – Members of a New Ulm-based family is preserving the memory of five generations existing at the same time with yearly photographs.

They first took a photo six years ago, at Scarlett Miller’s baby shower. With their most recent photograph, great-great-grandmother Lillian Fruhwirth is 98, and her great-great-granddaughter Scarlett Miller will turn 6 next week. Kimberly Becker, who is Fruhwirth’s granddaughter, said all five members live across the state and the US.

“My mom Diane LeBrun is in Gaylord,” Becker said. “I’m in Coon Rapids, my daughter and granddaughter Rebecca and Scarlett Miller are in Tampa Florida. The first year was at my granddaughters baby shower. Everybody was gonna be there so we thought ‘Lets get this picture cause you don’t know when we’re gonna be together again.'”

Rebecca and Scarlett Miller come from Florida every July, and the family celebrates birthday’s when they come. Becker said they follow an order each time they take the photo.

“We always line it up where grandma is first and granddaughter is last,” she said. “The background has mostly been different. The first time was at the legion, then for the next three years it was at my mom’s. Then we were outside at my grandmas for two years. This year we did it at a lighthouse my grandpa built, who just turned 103.”

Becker said they have been lucky, as they’ve never had to reschedule and the photos have come out right every time.

Since the photo tradition started, Becker said it has become an event looked forward to and done without hesitation.

“We like it and look forward to it,” she said. “We always make sure to get together and try not to take too long before getting the photo, because otherwise people start to leave and we might forget. No one gripes about it, everybody thinks its special.”

To be able to capture a moment in time with all five generations together is something Becker said feels great.

“I am a very sentimental person and I love to have things like this,” she said. “My whole family is like that too. My grandma feels so special we think of that and include her. We’re grateful everybody is still around and healthy.”

The family plans to continue taking yearly photos of the quintet for as long as they can. For any that believe there’s a special moment or group of people they want to freeze in time, Becker said you shouldn’t hesitate.

“Take the opportunity and don’t let it go by without a picture,” she said.