Diary of Alfred E. Potter November, 1944

01.  Wednesday: To seven oclock Mass at St. Vincents.  Thres Fretchel is down with lumbago.  Temperature is up to 75° today.                    Com.  Theo Drexler

02.  Thursday: To church again at St. Vincents.               Memos: Stanislaus Jarosch –Anton Sr. – Anton Jr. Holzbauer – Mary Bauer – Henry Drexler – Emma Hurst – Frank Drexler       Com.  Catherine Holzbauer

03.  Friday: To St. Vincents 7 Oclock                 Com.  Donald – Mary Ann

04.  Saturday: [T] I spend a very uneventful birthday.  Yes its 54 and I can’t say I feel any younger.  Worked all day and evening.

05.  Sunday: To St. Johns 7³⁰.  Mary Ann is with us.              Com.  Thanksgiving

06.  Monday: Elizabeth Mottl was found dead in bed this morning at her home, 728-12^th Street.  She was 70 years of age.  Survived by Wenzel, husband Mrs. Earl Reese – Margaret – Joe – John – Frank – George and Raymond.  Charles Roeder passed away at Mercy at 1³⁰ yesterday morning.  Charles was born in Germany Nov. 22 – 1878.  Was sick about 2 months.  He was president of the Continental Clothing Company.

07.  Tuesday: To Kiwanis luncheon.  Our table Lee Conroy – Archie Gifford – Harry Bruegger – Bud Menzel and myself.  After the luncheon attended funeral services of Charles Roeder at Fiss & Bills.  Rev. Otto officiated.  Presidential election today, altho the weather is Republican, President Roosevelt has a good chance to be re-elected for a fourth term.  Larry Gerdes is in town, also Norman Brown.  Thres and I took in movie at the Strand “Irish Eyes Are Smiling” starring June Haver –Dick Haymes – Monty Wooley.” Its technicolor. 

08.  Wednesday: [T] Attended Directors Meeting Chamber of Commerce at the Athearn Hotel this noon.  Took Thres and Aunt Mary to view the remains Elizabeth Mottl.  President Franklin Roosevelt is elected to serve a fourth term.  This is not news, as all predictions pointed that way.                   M.O.  Eliz Mottl

09.  Thursday: Art Mueller is down for a few hours this afternoon.  He was gone for three weeks.  Mary Ann – Mother and myself see “Since You Went Away” at the Oshkosh starring Claudette Colbert –Jennifer Jones – Joseph Cotton – Shirley Temple –Monty Wooley – Lionel Barrymore –Robert Walker.

10.  Friday: Art Mueller helps out this evening.

11.  Saturday: Dropped in to see Thres Fretschel tonite. Brot a loaf of fresh rye bread to her baked by Mama Potter.  Art Mueller worked at the store tonite.  John Schoenberger 73 – 833 – 6^th passed away suddenly at his home after his noon meal, victim of a heart attack.  Survived by the window –Four sons William – Charles – Joseph and Albert – Four daughters Mary –Mrs. Caroline Heiser – Mrs. Norman Mirkes – Mrs. Richard Binder.

12.  Sunday: To St. Vincents 7³⁰ Holy Name.  Then to work.  Donald took another driving lesson.  He drove me out to the cottage, from there to Cartwrights on Route 41 to pick up a bushel of MacIntosh apples.  This evening Lena Baier and Annie Weisheipl are over to help Thres celebrate her birthday.  Which is on the 13^th.  The party breaks up at 2 A.M. Monday.  Heard that Bill Siewert is quite ill in home with a bad arm from a fall.  I visited him tonite and advised a change of Dr. and also the hospital for better care.  Dr. W^m Clark comes in tonight and Will is taken to Mercy.

13.  Monday: [T] Thres is 58 today, and is feeling fairly well.  Dropped in to see Will Siewert at Mercy this afternoon.  He is still very sick, but had a good nights rest, the first in a week.  Attended Kiwanis Directors Meeting at Athearn.  We elect Harry Bruegger Pres. and Alton Dunham Vice P.  Art Mueller is down to work tonite.

14.  Tuesday: To Kiwanis luncheon.  W^m Esser read the paper on “Post War Disposition of Surplus Commodities.” Our table Ed Ledvina – Dr. Ethan Pfefferkorn – Dave Collin and myself.  Art Mueller helps out this afternoon.  View the remains of John Schoenberger at Poklasny’s this afternoon.  Had an interesting visit with Mrs. Schoenberger.            M.O.  John Schoenberger

15.  Wednesday: Visited W^m Siewert at the hospital.  He looks much improved.  Visited Anna Drexler 1210 – 9th St. She is up but states she is still very weak.

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17.  Friday: Laurence Spanbauer is 32 years of age today.

18.  Saturday: Took Mary Ann and Mother to Oshkosh Theatre to see “Summer Storm” with Linda Darnell – George Sanders and Everett Horton, also Bob Crosby in “Singing Sheriff.”

19.  Sunday: [T] To 7³⁰ Mass at St. Johns, then to work.  Slept this afternoon.  Back to work again for the evening.

20.  Monday: Sixth War Loan Drive begins in Oshkosh.  Donald drives on his own from now on.  He passed his final test.

21.  Tuesday: Visited Will Siewert this afternoon.  He is getting well but will have to stay in the hospital for some time.

22.  Wednesday: Received a letter from Leo Jungen, he is somewhere in France, and is well.  He tells me he is getting to be quite a pipe smoker.  Joe Baier Jr. has a birthday, he is four and very happy.

23.  Thursday: Got up at 9³⁰ A.M., what a lazy fellow.  Had a fine turkey (13# dressed) for dinner.  By the way of forgot to mention this is “Thanksgiving Day.” This afternoon took Aunt Lena Baier Thres and Mary Ann to the Oshkosh to see “My Pal Wolf” starring little “Sharyn Moffett” Jill Esmond – Una OConnor plus “In the Meantime Darling” with Frank Latimore –Eugenea Pallette –Mary Nash.  Lena spends the evening with us.

24.  Friday: Ruth Marie Koch was married to Gene Betty Officer Ralph Laedtke last night at the First English Lutheran Church.  The ceremony was performed by Ruth’s father Rev. E.A. Koch.

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26.  Sunday: Men and Lady Foresters attend 7³⁰ St. Johns and receive communion.  Memorial Service.  Took Thres along to Mercy Hospital to visit Will Siewert.  He is doing better every day.               Com.  Deceased Members C.O.F.

27.  Monday: [T] Secretary of State Cordell Hull resigns his position due to ill health.  President Roosevelt appoints Undersecretary Edward R. Stettinius Jr.  44 years of age and sends his name to the Senate as Hull’s successor.

28.  Tuesday: [T] Mass to Kiwanis today.  Attended Chamber of Commerce Annual dinner at the Raulf.  Willard Rockwell is our main speaker.

29.   Wednesday: Took a pie down to Thres Fretschel.  She is not gaining strength and she said.  We have our first real snowstorm of the season and it sticks.  Four inches fell.

30.  Thursday: Took Emma Siewert over to Mercy.  Dropped in to see Will.  He is improving every day.  Herman Miller (907 – 6th) cousin to Thres passed away last night at 11.20.  Born June 15 – 1875.  The last one of the Miller boys.  John – Louis – Joe – Frank preceded him in death.  Married to Mary Bloechl daughter of “Al Marie.”