Diary of Alfred E. Potter December, 1947

01.  Monday: Eddie Ritsche away this morning at Winnebago at 7⁰⁵.  Born July 8 – 1883.  Survived by his sister Mrs. Anna Fenn – and brothers Herman Oshkosh, and Ernst Fremont.

02.  Tuesday: Our Kiwanis Club is back in the main dining room at the Athearn.  Our table Gene Vogel – Frank Labudde –Elwyn Nelson – Earl Clemens and me.  Took Mrs. Ed Baranowski to St. Vincents Hall with the chickens for the big Lady Forester party tonite.  Attended 4th Degree K C dinner meeting and after that to the Oshkosh Theatre to hear “Lauritz Melchior” in person and his orchestra.  Its a wonderful concert.  Mr. Melchior is very gracious and generous with encores.  We also get his autograf.  Annie Weisheipl is 65 today.

03.  Wednesday: Business is beginning to perk up.  Some holiday shopping is in evidence.  Tonite I work until 8³⁰ then out to the Weisheipls to celebrate Annie’s birthday.  Took Emma Siewert with us.  Party broke up at 2³⁰ A.M. (Thursday).

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05.  Friday: To 7 Oclock Mass St. Vincents.  Father Wagner drops in about a sound projector.

Com.  Donald – Mary Ann

06.  Saturday: [T] Our first real day of holiday shopping.  Business is very good at all of our stores.  Took Mary Ann to the All Star basket ball game.  They played Moline.  It was a good game at the end we had 60 Points Moline 50.  Bill Hassett of Moline made 20 points – Carpenter 18.  St. Vincents beat Trinity Lutheran 81-7.  This is a record.

07.  Sunday: To 7³⁰ Hi Mass St. Vincents then to work.  Art Mueller’s Sunday on duty.  Worked 6 ½ hours today.

Com. Ven.  Sister (Devota) Davidica

08.  Monday: To 7 Oclock Mass St. Vincents.  I almost forgot about eating my noonday meal, well I did get home at 1¹⁵ P.M.  Thres plays cards this afternoon at Leona Dodds.  Leona fell this morning hurt an ankle which was much swollen this afternoon.  Thres won 20¢.  This evening she is at the Christmas Party of the Council of Catholic Women.  The party lasts until 11 P.M.  I worked 12 ½ hours today. 

Com.  Matt Baier

09.  Tuesday: Temperature is down to zero this morning.  I did not attend Kiwanis luncheon today.  Too much work at the store.  Thres and self attended Mother of Perpetual Help Devotion this evening.  Put in 11 ½ hours at the store today.

10.  Wednesday: Loretta Kargus is laid up today.  Joan Riemer has been sick for nearly two weeks.  Mrs. John Drexler is back home from Mercy Hospital tonite.  Worked 10 ½ hours today.

11.  Thursday: Thres and Annie Heip do some shopping this afternoon.  Jackie Mauritz is in, to show me her police dog.  Thres attended South Side Business Mens Christmas party tonite.  Busses picked up the folks at Security Bank, took them to Deniger's Farm Implements where they serve beer and give flowers, then to Putney's where the folks watch a money sorting machine, then to Johnson's new building where they are shown how potato chips are made.  Worked 11 ½ hours today.

12.  Friday: [T] Thres is busy baking Leb Kuchen today.  She is also somewhat down in the dumps and not feeling well either.  I worked 11 hours today.

13.  Saturday: Another busy day at the store parcel post is beginning to roll in.  I almost attended the basket ball game tonite All Stars against Minneapolis.  Minneapolis wins.  I worked 12 hours today, that makes 75 ½ hours for the week.

14.  Sunday: To 7³⁰ Holy Name Mass, then to work.  Today is a pleasant day with temperatures above 32°.  Worked 7 hours today.  Mrs. Rose Bongert wife of Matt Bongert passed away this morning following a short illness.  Born in Germany Dec. 24 – 1873.  Married Matt Bongert Feb. 11 – 1896.  Mother to Rose O’Donnell – Mrs. Henry Polscek – Mrs. Raymond Knaggs and John Bongert. 

Com Deceased Holy Name Members.

15.  Monday: Business is good.  Put in 11 hours today.  Edward C Abell former sheriff passed away this morning of a heart attack at his home, Menasha.  Born at Winneconne April 18 – 1898.  When sheriff he lived on Fourth Street – Oshkosh.

16.  Tuesday: View the remains of Mrs. Rose Bongert at Fiss and Bills this afternoon.  Mother picks up the popcorn balls at Caramel Crisp.  Mother and I make our Novena devotion this afternoon at the Church.  Put in 12 hours today. 

M. O. Rose Bongert

17.  Wednesday: Mrs. Bongert is laid to rest today.  Joe Baier is one of the pall bearers.

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19.  Friday: [T] The stork makes a visit to the Stan Demboviaks in Milwaukee (West Allis).  Its a little baby girl.  I took an evening out the first since the early part of the month.

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21.  Sunday: To 7³⁰ Mass St. Vincents and then to work.

22.  Monday: Christmas business is at its peak and we are very busy and I’m getting to be very tired.  Worked until 11 P.M. tonite.

23.  Tuesday: Mother and myself attend Mother of Perpetual Help Devotion tonite.  Also had the opportunity to go to confession.  Donald is with us also, after service is back to work until 11.20 P.M.  Theresa Weisheipl (Mrs. Fritz) tells me that Theresa Sitszberger 16 th St. passed away suddenly about 6³⁰.  She had intended to attend church service this evening.

24.  Wednesday: Donald and myself are out delivering presents to the doctors, it consists of a traveling kit – a bottle of Scotch or Bourbon and a pint of Vanilla Extract.  Needless to say these are well accepted gifts, also delivered to Monsgr. Bastian – Father Murphy and the Sisters St. Vincents and St. Johns.  I’m glad that Christmas is near, don’t think I could take another week of this.  Spent the evening at home, exchanging presents, everyone is happy with what the received.  The evening is a clear moonlite and mild one and in fact everything to make it perfect.

25.  Thursday: We attend midnight Mass, it is solemn Father Bastian celebrant with Fathers Wagner and Ott as Deacon and Sub, Donald serving took the place of M.C.  I worked at the store from ten to twelve this morning.  This afternoon we view the remains of Theresa Sitzberger at Poklasny’s.  We spend the evening visiting Anna (Mrs. John) Drexler Caroline – Frank and his wife Betty.  Two of Stan Demboviaks children are here from West Allis – they are Collette and Mary.  Little Bobby and Joey Rozek visit us, the first time since they moved from our neighborhood.

Com.  Thanksgiving

26.  Friday: Tony Paulick is here today to clean our furnace and chimney, it really surprised us how much dirt had accumulated, three good sized boxes full.  Mrs. Sitzberger is laid to rest.  The City of New York is snow bound, 25.8 inches of snow fell within 24 hours and California is having a heat wave, temperatures ranging from 84 to 87°and the people are taking to the beach.

27.  Saturday: According to the checkup we average about 9 miles per gallon of gas with our Chrysler.  Los Angeles reports temperature of 87°.

28.  Sunday: To 730 Mass St. Vincents and then to work, put in 5 hours today.  View the remains of Ernestine Dumke this afternoon at Konrad’s.  Took the family to Berlin to Harry Kujawas, this afternoon and spend the evening there.  Agnes had a sumptuous dinner for us.  We learn how to play smear.

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30.  Tuesday: Ed Labudde who helps us as part time at the South Store is a grandpa, for the first time.  Its a little girl, born to his daughter.  I spend the morning at home, cleaning our basement and fruit cellar.

31.  Wednesday: Well the year 1947 is about to bow out.  I put in 10 hours at the store.  We have a very busy day at the store.  On arrival home at 9⁴⁵ P.M. I find we have our usual New Years Eve Party in full force.  Annie – Joe Heip – Ed –Thres Fretschl are with us.  It is Thres’ first party since she was laid up.  She has lost 30 pounds and looks much improved.  The folks stayed until 2³⁰ A.M.