Diary of Alfred E. Potter July, 1950

01.  Saturday: Attended Mass at St. Vincents.  K.C’s are there, but not many.  There were many communicants.  Father Bastian offers another Requiem.  Aunt Mary is again moved to another room she is now in 207.  Mary Ann visits are today.  Took Bill and Rose Mauritz to the cottage tonite. 

Com. Aunt Lena Baier

02.  Sunday: [T] To 7³⁰ Mass St. Vincents.  Father Faust, Sermon.  Have a lot of company at the cottage today.  Joe – Emma – Faye – Joey – Mary Jane Baier, Ray – Ann – Jimmy – Carol – Judy Ostertag – Bill – Rose – Billy – Joanne – Barbara Mauritz –Doris Heisler – Carol Schmidt.  Tonite Harry – Agnes – Mary – John Kujawa.  It was a beautiful day, the folks had a nice time, especially the children – boat rides – and games. 

Com.  Matt Baier

03.  Monday: I find myself getting up with a bad cold this morning.  When I get to the store I learn Joe Baier also has one.  Guess we can’t stand outside air.

04.  Tuesday: Joe Toschner – Bill Mauritz – Ray Ostertag are all of this morning.  They fish 3 ½ hours caught 6 Nice size perch - one large pickerel.  The boys feel pretty good when they leave about 12.30 P.M.  To town this afternoon to mail out orders.  View the remains of Pete Entress at Fiss & Bills.  Met Harvey and George.  Had a lengthy visit with them.  Harvey knew Uncle Matt Baier when he worked for Swifts many years back.  This evening we see “My Friend Irma goes West” with Marie Wilson as Irma John Lund as Al – Diana Lynn as Jane, Dean Martin as Steve – Jerry Lewis Comedian and Carin Colvet.  “Shadow on the Wall” was starring Ann Sothern –Zachary Scott –Little Gigi Perreau.  “Mississippi Swing” in color was very good.

05.  Wednesday: Had Kiwanis luncheon at the “Town Grill” today, held over from yesterday.  Harvey Lohst of Appleton was my guest.

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08.  Saturday: I don’t get on the job until 10 A.M.  Donald is getting the lawn cleaned up at the house.  Father Wagner pays us a visit this afternoon.  He has been gone on a four day vacation to Boulder Rock, with Henry Troxell – Joe Drexler.  Visited Aunt Mary.  She is looking good today.  Also stopped to see Pete Bolda.  Poor Pete is a pitiful sight, has cancer of the face.  Also stopped to see Herb Wheeler.  He was my foreman at Gould’s forty some years ago.  Worked 5 hours this evening.  Thres and Mary Ann to the “Mode” Theatre.

09.  Sunday: [T] To 7³⁰ Mass with St. Vincents Holy Name men.  Worked all morning.  After our noon repast took Bill – Rose – Joanne- Barbie Mauritz – Doris Heisler with us to the cottage.  Bill put out the dock, also some shelving in the boathouse.  Otto Lemke and Emma Siewert come out after supper.  Bill and I cleaned up the boathouse until 8¹⁵.  Then for some sheephead.  Otto took the folks home. 

Com.  Pete Bolda

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11.  Tuesday: Annie Weisheipl’s Bingo Club at the cottage today.  Rose Miller –Clara Andrashko –Katie Duex – Emma Heppler –Mrs. John (Anna) Drexler – Jennie Miller – Mary Schneider – Emma Siewert –Mary Bloechl Miller.  They played Bingo –Cinch and Sheephead.  Otto Lemke out tonite more sheephead.  I attended Kiwanis lunch.  Our table Ozzie Witte –Simon Horwitz –Mr. Alexander from Madison Hugo Riese

12.  Wednesday: Mame Erbs –Thres Fretschl – Emma Siewert –Laurence Kinateder spend the day at the cottage.  I took Ken Siperski along for luncheon this noon.  The ladies are in very good spirits when we get there.  Ken gets quite a kick out of their fun

13.  Thursday: Father Alphonse Wagner takes Thres - myself and Lester Borisch to Milwaukee. We stop at the Cook Service Bureau to get our itinerary for our trip abroad in Sept. Stop at the Pfister for luncheon. Shop at Gimbels - complete our work on the itinerary, back to Oshkosh at 6¹⁵. Took Father Alphonse along to Winneconne to the South Side Business Mens Inspection Tour of the New Grade and Hi School combined. Had a very nice chicken dinner. Called on Father Victor Kandy after the doings at school. The conversation centered on our trip - Fatima - Necedah. Home at 11.15 P.M.

14.  Friday: Thres and me are busy trying to get a passport which we did not get, but we have a passport picture taken, also a physical exam by Will Wagner, also vaccinated against small pox and I had Dr. Don Hugo make a correction for new glasses.

15.  Saturday: Plenty of work at the store, Father Wagner dropped in for short visit, I picked out of frame for my new glasses at Strand Optical.

16.  Sunday: To 7³⁰ Mass St. Vincents.  Monsign. Bastian.  Sermon Father _____ Faust, his last at St. Vincents.  I work as usual this morning.  This afternoon Thres and myself visit Aunt Mary, I drop in to see Norbert Miller.  Then we pay our last respects to Carl Heinzl.  Kate’s sister Grace Zuehlke is here from Milwaukee.  Also met Carl’s sons in law and daughters.  Mary Ann is now with us, we stopped it Bill Mauritz before driving to the cottage.  Bill and Rose decided to go along.  Will, we staid until 11.15.  I lost 7 games sheephead. 

Com. Carl Heinzl

17.  Monday: Attended funeral service for Carl Heinzl.  Father Alphonse Wagner offered a low Mass, no choir singers Anna Weisheipl – Thres Fretschl – Rose Miller are with us.  Went to work at 12 and stuck six hours.  Leon and Dolores Kinated Moore and baby spend the evening at the cottage.

18.  Tuesday: To Kiwanis luncheon Gene Vogel – Al Kuebler – Frank Sullivan __________ and myself at table.  I did not stay for the program.  Worked 3 hours A.M. - 4 hours P.M.  Emma Siewert is at the Cottage.  Otto Lemke comes of this evening.  Father Alphonse Wagner brings out eight nice chairs for card tables.  He tells those Mrs. Von Hoff of Necedah was at the parsonage Monday.  She made a wonderful impression.  Had a message for Father Faust.  They were in Church for one hour.  Father Wagner took her to Ray Wagner to see little Johnny Wagner, she prayed over him and blessed all the folks.  She also prayed over Leo Wagner’s daughter.

19.  Wednesday: Thres and I are again at the courthouse but could not locate a copy of Thres birth certificate. Went to Monsignor Bastian to get her Baptismal Record. Met the new assistant Father Koehn. Josephine and Madelain tell how impressed they were with Mrs. Von Hoff. They presented her with a dress and shoes. Back to courthouse where Dorothy Bickford makes out our papers for a passport. It rained all day today, must be close to 3 inches of rain. Father Wagner, Vic Pohojka are out for a game of sheephead.

20.  Thursday: Thres has the So. Side Business Mens Auxiliary at the cottage, Sixteen ladies.  I had visitors at the office Viola and Caroline Drexler.  Had luncheon at Wirtz, it was the size of a dinner.  Got home at 10.45.  Otto Lemke and Emma Siewert were leaving.

21.  Friday: Father Wagner is in Milwaukee today.  Jane Resop is received into the order of Notre Dame today.  Mary Ann is in town to see Aunt Mary.  Annie Heip comes in at 3.30 P.M. also to visit Aunt Mary.

22.  Saturday: Had a meeting at Dr. Ray Wagner is with Father Alphonse –Les Borish about our itinerary.  Visited Aunt Mary at the hospital, also Norbert Miller – John Biebel, also Mate Abram.  Mate had a stroke about 2 weeks ago.  She’s a sister to the late Hattye Fleming former teacher at Jefferson school.  This evening took the folks to the Oshkosh to see “Father of the Bride” with Spencer Tracy – Joan Bennett – Eliz. Taylor – Don Taylor – Billie Burke.  I’ts a scream.  “Gaiety” in technicolor is a Mexican.

23.  Sunday: [T] To 7³⁰ Mass St. Vincents Msgnr. Bastian – Sermon Father Wagner.  Took Bill Mauritz to the cottage.  Bill is making a cabinet for under the kitchen sink.  To work the rest of the morning.  Don – Arlene and Debby to Sheboygan to see the Gor’s.  We take in the air show this afternoon.  Its exceptional.  Two lady performers Betty Skelton and Carol ____ are tops.  After the show it poured.  We’ve had showers off and on today.  Rose Baiers (Mrs. Mauritz) family, Doris Heisler – Raymond Ostertag Jr. spend the afternoon and evening at the cottage.  We dropped in at the Glotz cottage to visit Caroline and Viola Drexler.  They are being entertained by the Glotz and Bruehmiller family.  They leave tomorrow morning for their home in Spokane Washington. 

Com.  Charles J Fiss.

24.  Monday: Not feeling very well today.  Everything seems to be wrong.  Took Joe and Annie Weisheipl –Thres Fretschl to the cottage tonite to change the atmosphere.  Very Enjoyable evening.  Annie tells of the very good time she had at Koeck’s last night.  Farewell to Caroline and Viola Drexler.  George Stadler Jr. furnished music on the Accordion.

25.  Tuesday: [T] Our company at the cottage are Mandy Drexler, and the Twins Johnnie and Joey, Celia and Lucy Drexler.  They have a very pleasant day.  Joe and Matt Drexler are out for the evening, unfortunately I can not be with them, must be on the job.  Worked till 11 Oclock getting out orders.

26.  Wednesday: Thres – Mary Ann and yours truly take a trip to Milwaukee.  Stopped at Dr. Newman’s.  He thinks Thres’ leg is healed fairly well.  Makes some recommendations.  Stopped at Maders for noon meal.  Then to McClurg’s and Yahr Lange’s.  Met McCullough, Lilly’s Man also Warren Gehrs, Tommy Atkins.  Walter Lange sold us some luggage.  Then to Marg and Carls over to Leona Cechalzki’s to pick up Anna Drexler – Jimmy and Gail Radomski.  Had dinner and a nice visit at Carls.  Left for home 9¹⁵ P.M.  Home at 11¹⁰.

27.  Thursday: On the job for a busy day.  Kiwanis sponsors Mills Bros Circus today.  Al Dunham – Art Hazen and Myself took the patients from the Barry Foundation to the circus.  They enjoyed it very much.  Met Emm Siewert and Otto Lemke at the Circus.  Annie Heip and Eddie and Family are there.  Otto took the folks out to the cottage, I joined in at 7 P.M.  Took Mary Ann to the Ball Game to see Oshkosh Giants lose to Janesville Cubs 4-2.  A very good game.  Otto played Cards with the ladies.

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29.  Saturday: Thres and Mary Ann

30.  Sunday: To 7³⁰ Mass St. Vincents.  Worked part of the morning.  This afternoon to the “Power Boat Club” for Mueller Potter Picnic.  Had lots of fun, I played ball –had 3 safe hits –one assist by catching a fly ball in left field, much to the delight of the kids.  Had dinner at 5 Oclock, about 38 attended.  Joe Baier came in the evening.  Cleo and Husband also Fuhrman and wife did not attend.  Played cards and had a lot of singing in the evening.  Jean Powers and Henry Loewen had loads of fun.  I think Jean is not going to feel too good in the morning.  Got home at 2 A.M. and another flood to clean up.  Thres is disgusted.

31.  Monday: Rev. John DE Marchi IMC spoke on the African Missions yesterday at St. Vincents.  His present address is St. James Church –Whitmore St. Boston Mass.