Diary of Alfred E. Potter January, 1946

01.  Tuesday: New Years day is a lovely day.  I work about an hour this morning.  Attended 11⁴⁵ Mass at St. Johns, and they had a packed house.

02.  Wednesday: Harold Prideaux begins to work in or Main Street store this afternoon.

03.  Thursday: Tonite are added this evening we attend the wedding ceremony uniting Ralph H Ebel and Jane Mueller by Rev. Leo Oberleiter at the Athearn Hotel.  A dinner was served after the ceremony.  Only immediate relatives were present.  Mr. Mrs. F.W. Mueller – Mr. Mrs. G.F. Doepping – Mr. Mrs. August Ebel –Two of Ralph’s brothers and wives –Rev. and Mrs. Leo Oberleiter – Norbert and Esther Mueller – Thres and Myself.  Harold Ebel and Billy Mueller Groomsman – Betty Marie Pfeiffer and Leona Luft attended the bride.

04.  

05.  Saturday: It rains most of the day.  This makes practically 24 hours of rain and a big share of the heavy snow is gone.  Took Thres and Mary Ann to the Oshkosh tonite.  “The Spanish Main” in Technicolor features Maureen O’Harra – Paul Heinreid – Walter Slezak.  “An Angel Comes to Brooklyn” with Robert Duke is very comical.  Florence Meidl is 21 years of age today.

06.  Sunday: To St. Johns 7³⁰ Mass, then to work.  Naomi Mueller is on today at South Side Store.  Took the Fretschls and Aunt Lena Baier to the Weisheipls for a long series of sheephead 8⁰⁰-12³⁰ and thats quite a session.  Aunt Lena as usual almost loses her shirt.

07.  Monday: [2 M] Joe Baier to Wauwatosa to bring home his wife Emma from Milwaukee Sanitarium.  She is much improved.

08.  [T]

09.  [T]

10.  

11.  Friday: [2 M] Snow this afternoon and looks as if it might keep it up over night.

12.  Saturday: Took Sisters Marcelia – Edgar – Viatora –Adeo to Elm Grove this morning.  The roads are very slippery.  Took Donald along in case I need help.  Had dinner at the convent, then took the sisters to Holy Cross, stopped to visit Sister Melora, stopped at St. Michaels to visit Sister Linus, the Sisters are much pleased that we made the stops.  Then to the Mother House.  Donald & I when to confession at St. Marys.  Started for home about 4¹⁵ or 4³⁰.  On the way help to extricate two men from an overturned auto.  They were only slightly hurt.  Home at 6⁴⁵ and glad of it.  Took Mary Ann and mother to Strand to see “San Antonio” technicolor Errol Flynn – Alexis Smith and “Captain Tugboat Annie” with Jane Darwell – Edgar Kennedy.

13.  Sunday: To 7³⁰ Mass St. Vincents with Holy Name, a good attendance about 140 men.  Donald stays for the breakfast.  Judge Henry Hughes is the speaker.  To work at 9⁰⁰ until 12³⁰.  Napped this afternoon.  To work at 6⁰⁰ and after work to Ed Fretschl’s for a visit and cards.  Aunt Lena and Joe and Annie Heip are there and sheephead goes on as usual.  Home at 1³⁰.  Took the Heips home in my coupe.             Com.  Deceased Holy Name Members

14.  [N T]

15.  

16.  

17.  Thursday: [T] Learn that Frank Drexler is back in this country.  He is quite sick.  Caroline called me out to see him.  Some of the symptoms indicate stomach flu.  He tells me, he got back home Dec. 8^th.  Was discharged from service Dec. 6^th.

18.  [2 M]

19.  Saturday: Thres has a bad cold.

20.  Sunday: [2 M] To 7³⁰ Mass St. Johns, then to work.  Back to the store this afternoon following a phone call.  Met Mary Ann on the way to the store, took a drive about town ended up ray Ostertag’s.  Joe Baier family Aunt Lena – Bill Mauritz and family are all there.  Met Emma Baier for the first time since she’s back from the San.  She is looking very well.  Spent the evening at Bill and Emma Siewert’s.  Otto Lemke and Clara are there.  Six – handed Sheephead is a bad game for Will and Emma.  After taking the Lemkes home, we arrive home at 1³⁰ A.M.

21. Monday: [N] Father Michael Drexler is in for a short visit this morning.  A nationwide steel strike goes into effect today. The employees of the large packing houses are also out on strike today.  The smaller independents are not affected.  We have the annual meeting of Mueller Potter tonite at the South Store.  Same officers elected F.W. Mueller Pres. Fred Baumgartner Vice Pres. – A.E. Potter Secy – Treas.  Its a cold night.

22.  [N]

23.  Wednesday: We have company tonight.  The Kujawas are over from Berlin.  Agnes is to have a treatment at Schroeder’s (Chiropractor).  Mary Ann takes Mary and Johnny to the Mode Theatre.  I picked up Joe and Annie Heip and Thres Fretschl for a game of cards at our house.  Well they all had a good time and so did the Kujawas.  Annie is in unusually good spirits some of our tonic must have taken a good hold on her.  Raymond Ostertag Jr. is 10 years of age today.  Had quite a snowfall tonite.

24.  Thursday: Edward Weisheipl has a birthday.  He is 28.

25.  Friday: The army has established "Radar" contact with the moon, but no return signal has been received.

26.  Saturday: Its a cold morning 15° below is official.

27.  Sunday: To 7³⁰ Mass St. Johns then to work.  After work this evening over to Aunt Lena to help her celebrate her birthday.  The Heips and the Fretschl’s are also there.  Bill Mauritz has a birthday today. He is

28.  Monday: [T] Aunt Lena’s birthday is today.  She is 69, and is feeling well.  Katherine Reifer one of our oldest South Side residents passed away this morning about 3 Oclock at our home.  We saw her at Mass at St. Johns yesterday.  She was 86. Mother to Merlin – Carl and Joe Reifer.

29.  Tuesday: To Kiwanis luncheon.  Took Norman Brown as guest.  Cora O Day is the speaker.  Members of the various committees for the Boy Scout Merit Badge Show are announced.  Harry Hopkins special assistant and advisor to the Late Pres. Roosevelt passed away at New York Memorial Hospital today.  Born in Sioux City Iowa Aug. 17 – 1890.

30.  Wednesday: This is a rather wet day the snow and rain mixed.  Theresa Murphy passed away last evening at 730 at Mercy Hospital.  Born in Germany July 26 – 1875.  She was the wife Bill Murphy.  A convert and a devout member of St. Vincents, she was an example to many of us.  View the remains of Mrs. Reifer at Sitters.             M. O. Katherine Reifer

31.