Diary of Alfred E. Potter November, 1947

01.  Saturday: To 7 Oclock Mass St. Vincents.  The boys are getting work done at the store that counts.  Worked 8 hours today.  Tonite we surprise ourselves.  We attend the opening official basket ball game with the "All Stars" playing the Minneapolis Lakers and losing the game 49 to 47 in the last 5 to 10 seconds to play.  The "Lakers" have a well organized team.  Thres and Mary Ann enjoy it very much.

Com.  Stanislaus Jarosch

02.  Sunday: [T] To 7³⁰ Hi Mass with the family, then to work.  This afternoon a ride to see Harry Lyman but Phil has taken him out.  Left him some new underwear.  Then to the cemetery, the Geraniums are still nice.  Met Peter Reifer and took him home to Carl’s his son’s home 293 Otter.  Carl is 53 today.  Mr. Reifer is 90 born May 1st 1857.  Then to St. Vincents for visits.  Indulgences for Pancratius – Mary Drexler – Matt –Caroline Baier –Anita Holzbauer –Emma Hurst –Burkhart – Eleanor Krieg – Frank – Theresa Bruehmiller.  Spent the evening home.

Com.  Katherine Holzbauer

03.  Monday: To 7 Oclock Mass, Donald and Mary Ann can’t make it today.  Made some visits this morning St. Vincents – some this afternoon St. Johns.  Thres plays cards at Joe Fenzl’s today with B.M. Auxiliary, no prize either.  Worked 10 hours today.

Indulgences: Otto Lang – Frank Lucille Taylor, Frank –Joseph – Theodore – John Drexler.

Com. Anita Holzbauer

November 4, 1947 newspaper clipping

04.  Tuesday: [T] Well here I am with another birthday, have 57 years behind me and am tackling number 58.  To Mass St. Vincents 6⁴⁵ then to work.  At Kiwanis luncheon Bud Menzel and Earl Buchanan got my prizes.  Seumos MacManus of New York told us the story of Irish folk lore, it lasted a good 30 minutes and was very entertaining.  This evening dinner meeting of 4th Degree KC at the Athearn lasted until nearly eight.  Fathers Murphy – Danks and Spaulding were there, then to work until 9⁰⁰ and then to KC Club house for meeting of the KC Stockholders, they vote to sell Club House if they get a satisfactory offer. 

Com. Thanksgiving

05.  Wednesday: Visited with Sister and to Lena St. Marys Hospital, meet Sister Remigia when I have’nt seen for a long time.  Visited John Brennan, retired druggist who makes his home there.  The Sisters Chapel is being decorated.  Joe – Annie Weisheipl – Emma Siewert – Ed – Thres Fretschl are here tonite to celebrate my birthday.  I took the Fretschl’s to Fiss & Bills to view the remains of Clara Koehn.  Corky Weisheipl drops in at 1¹⁵ A.M. folks are off for home at 1⁴⁵ A.M.  Albert Mauritz has a birthday, he is 32.

06. Thursday: Donald – Larrie and Robert Fretschl are at the cottage to take out the dock – put on storms and drain the water tank, and we are lucky because it is turning colder and forecasts state we may have freezing by tomorrow.

07.  Friday: To Mass St. Vincents with Thres at 6⁴⁵.  It is raining and blowing almost a gale this morning, colder during the day and down to 30° by tonite and still much wind.  Donald tries Steve Young for a haircut.

Com.  Donald – Mary Ann.

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09.  Sunday: St. John’s Church is filled with Holy Name Members this morning at 7³⁰ Mass, after Mass breakfast is served to almost 300. Salm of Chilton, spoke about the hardships of the people in Germany.  He had made a trip to Europe as a delegate of the U. S. to assist in agricultural promotion.  Mr. Salm is the father of 15 children.

10.  Monday: To Kiwanis Directors luncheon and meeting.

11.  Tuesday: Did not attend Kiwanis today, had a very fine meal with trimmings at home.  Aunt Mary –Mary Ann and Thres are all feeling exceptionally good.  To Church this evening and after church my Plymouth stops on Iowa Street and refuses to start. Had to walk to the Bett garage to pick up Chrysler, which was winterized today, and push the Plymouth home.  Then over to Ed Fretschl’s for a visit.  Thres in bed with what may be a cold or appendicitis.  A coat of snow greeted us this morning and it looks as tho it might stay.

12.  Wednesday: Had luncheon with Clark Hastings and Ralph Berry.  Clark is looking fine.

13.  Thursday: Thres is on deck for another birthday, she has 61 years behind are and not feeling too badly, in fact better than she has for some time.  Emma Siewert is here for evening dinner, took Thres and Emm to the Oshkosh.  Took the Plymouth over to Betts garage to have it winterized.  Had to push (Carl Mueller driving) it at least half the way.

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16.  Sunday: Thres and Mary Ann to St. Johns with Lady Foresters.  I attend St. Vincents.  This evening Mother attends card party at St. Vincents and is quite lucky.  I worked - put in 6 ½ hours today.

17.  Monday: To Kiwanis Directors special meeting and election of officers.  Glenn Fadner and Earl Clemans are the new President and Vice President.  I worked 10 hours today.

18.  Tuesday: Visited Ernestine Dumke this morning.  She was 90 years of age yesterday.  To Kiwanis luncheon Elwyn Nelson – George Savage and myself make up a small table.  Frank Radford is our speaker.  Spoke on life in England.  Mrs. and he had made quite an extensive stay there not so long ago.  Worked 10 ½ hours today.

19.  Wednesday: We spend the evening at Joe Baier’s.  Cards are in order.  Bill and Rose Mauritz –Ray and Ann Ostertag are there.  Took them home at 1³⁰ A.M.  Worked 8 hours today.

20.  Thursday: Stayed in bed until 9 A.M. this morning.  Had luncheon with Ed Huntz – Ed Wolfe –Ken Siperski at the Athearn.  Met Frank Sullivan there, he is getting around on crutches.  He lost his sister ____ a few weeks ago, and Mrs. Sullivan suffered a stroke.  Got my Plymouth back this evening, its been in the garage a full week.  A new core for the radiator was needed.  Princess Elizabeth (England) is wedded to Lord Mount Batten who has had several titles bestowed on him among them the Duke of Edinburgh.  Worked 9 hours today.

21.  Friday: Art and Margaret Mueller celebrated their 19th wedding anniversary yesterday.  Today we start the day with rain, and it rains a bit most of the day.  Yardley merchandise is in today, and no Xmas sets available.  Put in 9 ½ hours today.

22.  Saturday: Fairly busy at the store today.  Worked 8 ½ hours today.  Stayed home this evening.  Worked 62 hours this week.

23.  Sunday: [T] To 7³⁰  Mass St. Vincents, Donald Mary Ann – mother and self.  This afternoon took Aunt Mary –Mary Anne – Thres to Poklasny’s to view the remains of Louise Poeschl.  Took Aunt Mary home and then a drive to the cemetery.  Mother had the blues today when out there, from there to the Strand to see Bob Hope –W^m Bendix and Signe Hasso in “Where theres Hope” and “Winter Wonderland.”

M.O. Louise Poeschl

24.  Monday: Took a drive to the cottage this afternoon.  Mother defrosted the refrigerator and packed a number of items for home.  This no doubt will be our last trip to the cottage for this year.  When we got home, I cleaned the fruit cellar, and then back to work for the evening.  Worked 7 hours today.

25.  Tuesday: To Kiwanis luncheon, about 35 members were there, most of them are going to the songfest at Ripon tonite.  Worked 10 ½ hours today.  This evening Thres and self to Mother of Perpetual Help Devotion and Thres visited Thres Fretschl after church.  Aunt Mary thinks she is sick, and for a time had us believing, until we discovered she had eaten quite a number of black licorice nigger babies.  After our discovery she recovered immediately.

26.  Wednesday: Donald goes down to work with me, Teachers College closes until next Monday.  We are quite busy at the store.  Spent the evening at home.  Worked 9 hours today.  Art Mueller receives a part of a deer, done up in a nd neat holiday package, from Karl Hanson.

27.  Thursday: Up early this morning, to confession before mass at St. Vincents.  Two Holy Masses offered at 7 Oclock.  Aunt Mary attends with Thres and myself.  I worked 3 ½ hours this morning.  Had a very fine “turkey dinner” in the main dining room of the Potter residence.  Took a walk this evening and when I get back home Harry Kujawa is just pulling up to the house with his family.  Thres has a sick spell while they are here.  They leave for home about eleven oclock.

Com.  Thanksgiving.

28.  Friday: Forty Hours begins this morning at St. Vincents.  Mother – Mary Ann and self to Mass at 7 Oclock.  Fathers Ott and Wagner offer Masses.  Worked 11 ½ hours.  Temperature according to our thermometer is 4° above.

Com.  Louise Poeschl

29.  Saturday: [T] Donald is with us to Holy Mass this morning.  Temperature is down to zero.  Worked 8 ½ hours today, this makes 53 ½ hours for the week.

Com.  Caroline Baier

30.  Sunday: To 7³⁰ Hi Mass, this is also Exposition Mass.  To work about 9³⁰.  Temperature is 5° below this morning and that is very cold for November.

Com. Happy Hour of Death