Diary of Alfred E. Potter May, 1943

01.  Saturday: [T] Joe Weisheipl Sr. has a birthday.

02.  Sunday: To 730 Mass at St. Johns, then to work.  First Holy Communion at St. Vincents this morning.  Little Fay Baier is among the First Communicants.  We have an increase in the family tonight.  A little stray tomcat jumps on my shoulder while I’m out trying to find the cause of a cat commotion outside.  He seems quite hungry when I take in.

03.  Monday: [N] Joe Baier and Art Mueller go on their summer schedule today.  Joe takes off from this noon on.

04.  Tuesday: [N] Had a letter from Donald and a nice picture of him playing on the violin.  To Kiwanis Lunch, Oshkosh bowlers receive a trophy presented by the Neenah Kiwanis bowlers.  It is a galvanized pail with the names of the bowlers.  Our table Dave Collins –Abe Kagan –Ed Ledvina and myself.  Roger Allmers would like to make a change in work.  I encouraged him to get into some other line of work as soon as possible.

05.  Wednesday: Thres – Mary Ann and myself to Milwaukee.  Arrive there about 11 AM.  Over to Kammann’s at 3052 No. Bartlett Ave.  Bought some sponges and a nice lot of chamois.  Had a nice meal at Fritz Gust’s then to McClurgs to see Ambrose Grace.  His daughter in law Margaret wrote up the order.  Then over to Mutual Drug.  Henry gave me some fast service.  And it is hot today, 84° in the shade and muggy.  Stopped at Karl and Margarets and then paid a visit to Anna Drexler and Leona at _____ South 9^th Street, and where they surprized.  Then for a nice dinner at “Mammy’s” on Capital Drive.  Rain on the way home.  Home at 11.20 P.M.

06.  Thursday: Mr. Norman and helpers begin insulating our house today.

07.  Friday: First Friday to St. Vincents 7 A.M.              Com.  Donald – Mary Ann

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09.  Sunday: Holy Name and Boy Scouts Troop 18 to Communion 7³⁰ at St. Vincents.  Burst Communion for children at St. John’s.  Arlene Mugerauer is a first communicant.      Com.  Mother –Mother in law – Thres – Grandma Baier

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12.  Wednesday: Annual Conference of the Wis. Council of Catholic Women open to the High Mass (Pontifical) with Archbishop Moses Kiley of Milwaukee officiating.  This evening Thres and Anna Weisheipl attend the grand banquet at the Raulf Hotel.

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16.  Sunday: John Beerntsen is found dead in his cottage about 11.30 today by Fred Cass.  John had left her as cottage in Nordheim on the Jackson drive road Friday evening.  Sylvester Karst had helped him plant potatoes and left him at 9 P.M.  John must have suffered a heart attack shortly after.

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18.  Tuesday: Attended “Mother of Perpetual Help” devotion tonite at St. Vincents.  This is the first evening devotion I attended.  Then over to Fiss & Bills to view the remains of John Beerntsen and took along Lena Baier and Emma Siewert.  Father Bastian offers the rosary with the assistance of the Knights of Columbus.

19.  Wednesday: A lovely day.  Took a drive to cemetery this afternoon paid for care for our three half lots.  John Beerntsen is laid to rest this morning.  Took Thres and Mary Ann to see “Star Spangled Rhythm” and “Truck Busters” at the Oshkosh. Forty three Top stars are in the first picture.  Betty Hutton –Eddie Bracken Bob Hope –Bing Crosby – Rochester Mary Martin –Dorothy Lamour and many others.  Richard Travis –Virginia Christine in the second.  Had a letter from Carl J. Fretchel today.  His address Sgt. C.J. Fretchel U.S.M.C. Ser. Bu. Reg. Sta. Transient Center, 1^st M.A.C. F.M.F. c/o Fleet P.O.  San Francisco, Calif.

20.  Thursday: [N] Joe Weisheipl Jr. and Edward Fretchel Jr. to Milwaukee for their examination before induction.

21.  Friday: We hope this warm weather keeps up.  It is pretty close to 80° in the shade today.  We have company tonite Harry, Agnes, Mary – Johnny Kujawa are here from Berlin.  We spend an enjoyable evening.  Mary and Johnny entertain us with singing and speaking pieces they have memorized.  They sure have good memories.

22.  Saturday: A hot day, 80° in the shade, yet they should not be called hot.  It is summer heat.  I tried a hand at cutting grass.  In the evening took Thres and Mary Ann to Oshkosh Theatre.  “Happy Go Lucky” in Technicolor features Mary Martin – Betty Hutton, Dick Powell – Eddie Bracken – Rudy Vallee.  “Henry Aldrich gets Glamour” features Jimmy Lydon as Henry.

23.  Sunday: To St. Johns at 7³⁰.  Then to work.  St. Vincents have graduation exercises today.  We attend their play “High in the Alps” this evening.  Mary Ann is a gardner.  Father Bastian invites me to sit with him.  It was a play short and snappy, lasted from 7⁴⁵ to 9⁰⁰ P.M.  After that I worked another hour and a half.  Put in 8 ½ hours today.  When I get home Joe and Anna Weisheipl are over to our house.  A few games of sheephead, a little lunch, a little chat and wow it’s 2³⁰ A.M.  Time to retire.  Goodnight or should I say good morning.

24.  Monday: [J – N] Dropped in to 1212 Minnesota St. to look over my old homestead where I lived as a boy 40 year ago, also to see Mrs. Ernestine Dumke, our old neighbor, she is very happy to see me, hugged me and kissed me, and we had a very pleasant visit. She is quite feeble, tells me if she lives until November 17th she will be 86 years of age. Father Frank Schoettl and his mother drop in to see us, at the store. Frank has a parish at Maple Grove. Leo Jungen became a papa last night, its a boy.

25.  Tuesday: [N] The Weisheipls let us read an article in the Kearns Post Review, May 18^th issue giving Cork quite a write up.  Among other things it mentions the orchestras Clyde McCoy – Dan Russo – Stan Myers with which Cork played, about his sense of humor and most amiable personality.

26.  Wednesday: [N] Edsel Ford only son of Henry Ford passed away this morning at 1³⁰ at his home “Grosse Point Shores,” a suburb of Detroit.  He was chief executive of the Fort Company for 24 years.  Born Nov. 6 – 1893 in Bagley now in Detroits down town district.  Survived by 3 Sons Henry – Bentsen – William Clay and a daughter Eleanor Clay.  Adolph Seibold laid to rest.  I was appalled air.  John Tauber –George Koplitz – Frank Binder –Henry Troxell – Albert Koplitz were also bearer.  Rose Weisheipl finally gets that new old fashioned hairdo.  My afternoon off, but I work until 10 P.M.  No rest for the wicked.

27.  Thursday: [N] Joe Weisheipl Jr. and Edward Fretchel are ready to go into the navy.  Edward dropped in yesterday afternoon to say goodbye.  I gave him a wrist watch as a remembrance.  Leo Jungen dropped in tonite.  He tells me he is to leave June 8^th.

28.  Friday: [N RDXMOK] Father Bastian has a birthday he is 69 today.  Thres and myself stop at Joe Weisheipl Sr. to say goodbye to Joe Jr.  Present are Mrs. Haverty – Joe Jr. and Marge, Bill and Mrs. Killian – Cliff and Mrs. Crowell.  This is Roger Allmers last day with us.

29.  Saturday: President Roosevelt has a plan to dispose of about 50 billion dollars worth of government owned war surplus equipment – material and supplies thru a budget bureau.  Joe Weisheipl Jr. is at Great Lakes to get an interview, well, maybe he’ll get more than that.  He left this morning.

30.  Sunday: To 7³⁰ Mass St. Johns.  Then to work.  Bade Memorial Day parade this afternoon.  About 2 Oclock I get ready to get Donald from school.  Unfortunately our Chrysler had no power and where to find a garage open on Sunday.  Finally found Valley Auto Service on Upper Main St. Needed new coils.  Started about 4 Oclock and also begins to rain.  Got to St. Nazianz at 5³⁰.  Donald is anxiously waiting and did we get in some terrible showers on the way back wow!  Got home around 7³⁰.  But Donald stays till midnight before going to bed.

31.  Monday: More Rain today.  Well I have plenty of work so it did not matter.  In the afternoon took Thres and Mary Ann to the Oshkosh Oh yes and also Dolores Kinateder.  “The More the Merrier” started Jean Arthur –Joel McCrea and Charles Coburn and “Seven Miles from Alcatraz” with James Craig and Bonita Granville.