Saturday, January 17, 2015

Diary of Alfred E. Potter November, 1952

01.  Saturday: To 630 Mass this morning Donald and family are over this afternoon.  Don completes putting on storm windows.  I worked in the basement again today and about completed the new part.  Today marks the closing of one of the oldest meat markets in town.  The old John Luecke market also run by Lange and Procknow, then by Art Redmann and of late by Ray Ruth. 
Com. Honor All Saints
02.  Sunday: To 730 Hi Mass Father Milbauer spoke on helping the poor souls in Purgatory.  Indulgences granted from this noon until Monday night.  Turns out to be a beautiful day.  Worked this morning, this afternoon we visit the new Jesuit Novitiate, E.C. Farney’s former “Fahrnwald.” It will house about 40 novices and about 5 priests and 3 or 4 brothers.  This evening we celebrate Emma Miller Siewert Lemke’s and my birthday at our house.  The folks bring in Uncle Joe Weisheipl also and Cork Weisheipl is also a guest. 
Com. Katherine Holzbauer
03.  Monday: [R 4 M] All Souls Day today.  Attend 730 Mass.  I hear that Dr. Joseph Kronzer left last Friday for Mayo Clinic.  Saw him a short while back, he had returned from Elk hunting and looked very good.  He is still fighting stomach ulcers and it may mean surgery this time. 
Com. Stanislaus Jarosch
04.  Tuesday: Well this is it.  What!  My birthday of course and it’s also Presidential Election Day.  Eisenhower stands a pretty fair chance of winning.  Voted at 9 AM in the Ninth Ward.  I was number 295.  Completed 62 years and Im heading into the 63’d.  To Kiwanis luncheon I took Harvey lost as a guest.  Milton Seefeldt one my birthday present, a 2.50 “His Shaving Lotion.”
05.  Wednesday: [R 4 M] Sold Joe Baier 100 shares of my Mueller Potter Stock as of Oct. 31.  Price 100 Dollars per share.  It is now worth pretty close to 170 a share.  Dwight Eisenhower is elected President by a large majority.
06.  Thursday: Took a drive to Mt. Calvary this noon to see Father Gerold Walker and learn on arriving that he is confined in St. Agnes Hospital Fond du Lac with a bleeding ulcer.  Had a nice visit with the Vice Rector Father Gratian.  Drove to St. Agnes Hospital and had a short visit with Father Gerold, then with Charlie Pable who is now pharmacist at the hospital, tells me hes been there since March, has two boys in the Capuchin Novitiate at Detroit and then came the real surprise, a visit with Father Adolph Wittman whom I have not seen since our days at Mt. Calvary in 1907.  Hes been paralyzed for 25 years.  He is now able to say Mass and gets around with two canes.  We sure did a lot of reminiscing.  Called Emma Lemke this morning, she is 66 today.  Yesterday and she had impacted and seven other lower teeth removed.
07.  Friday: [R 4 M] Attended Barber Shoppers S.P.E.B.S.Q.S.A. Entertainment at the Grand Theatre last night.  Marty Knauer and his wife were down from Appleton.  Schmitt Bros. 1951 National Champions were here.  Well Balanced Program.  This morning talked over final details of my will with Walter Petri.  Ken Sepersky leaves a package in my car, and what do you suppose it was, a 12 pound Ham and a 9 pound slab of Hickory smoked bacon.
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09.  Sunday: To 730 Holy Name Mass Father Wagner spoke on “Our Father Who art in Heaven, Hallowed by Thy Name.” Death of John Schroeder is announced.  John died early this morning at Mercy Hospital from a heart attack suffered last Monday.  Born Aug. 2-1890 in Ironwood Michigan.  Came to Oshkosh 41 years ago, went to work for the “Chicago Northwestern Railway” three years as firemen and then as engineer. 
Com.  Deceased Members Holy Name Soc.
10.  Monday: Phillip Murray President of the C.I.O. and United Steel Workers Union died suddenly at San Francisco Mark Hopkins Hotel, some time yesterday.  Born in Scotland in 1886.  Came to U.S.A. in 1902, made a citizen in 1911
11.  Tuesday: To Kiwanis Club, took Ed Sepersky along as guest.  Gretchen Siebert showed slides of her trip to Helsinki Finland and the Olympics Games.  Very interesting.  Mama gets a hair do this afternoon, but forgot to take our beautiful steak dinner off the stove as she leaves the burner on, result when we get home for dinner, a pan of dried burnt steak and a house full of smoke.  Well we go to Town Grill for tenderloin steak dinner, only 11 dollars for three.  Ma and Emma play cards at Anna Ostertags, Emma 60 points Ma 32.  I visited Manda Drexler this morning. She knows Mrs. Raab quite well.
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13.  Thursday: Mama’s birthday brings temperatures of 63° at 12 Noon and its a beautiful sunshiny day.  Think it went to 67°.  Donald put on the storms at the cottage this morning.  We attend attend Turkey dinner at First English Lutheran Church, by 730 Eleven hundred people had been served.  Ma plays a second round of tournament sheephead at Emma Lemke’s tonight.  Scores Barb Weitenback 54 – Mrs. Carl Berger 42 – Ma 41 – Emma 33.  I took Barb and Mrs. Berger home.
14.  Friday: Boeder Stephan are laying linoleum on our back stairway.  Ma starts making "Gropfens" at St. Vincents this afternoon for tomorrow bake sale.  Dess Wirtz is learning to make them also, tells Ma they should go into business.  Quite a number of "Gropfens" are sold this afternoon.  I bought homemade candy 425.  I took Mary Ann and Thres to K.C. Club for fish dinner this evening.  Met Charlie Jucolano, told him about the sale of his novelty finger pencils.
15.  Saturday: Ma is back to St. Vincents at 830 to do some or baking.  Has five ladies helping her.  The “Gropfens” sell as fast as she can turn them out.  I had Billy Mauritz help me clean up the Liquor Department in the basement south side store this morning.  This afternoon I worked alone in the Veterinary Department.  Had noon meal at Wirtz’s with Mary Ann.  Well Ma is very tired tonight.  Took in about 150 dollars on “Gropfens.” Took her and Mary Ann to Otto’s Hi K for a steak dinner.  Met Fred and Loretta Baumgartner, Frank and Mrs. Stepp –Schmalz Friederich and Company.
16.  Sunday: To 730 Mass Father Milbauer.  Ma and me had a bad night, think the T Bone got the best of us.  Clarence Westphal, a recent convert made his “First Holy Communion” at 730 Mass.  He is to be married to Florence Ostertag “Thanksgiving Day.” Hurrah!  We get a lovely shower of rain this morning, also lightning and thunder.  Visited Aunt Mary with Mary Ann and Joan Mauritz.  Also a friend of Harry’s.  Harry and Agnes also come in.  Sister Irene told me the good news that the Cope and Censor and Boat arrived safely in Germany.  Tonight Honor Guard at St. Joseph’s.  Father Bunkelman tells me his church lights went out all during 9.15 Mass.
17.  Monday: Thres entertains her card club today, Ladies Auxiliary South Side Bus. Mens Club, 18 ladies.  Emma Lemke stays over for the evening with Ma and Mary Ann. I attended the K of C Stockholders Fun Party tonite and it was a lot of fun.  Before the meal and party some of us attended the rosary for Mrs. E. J. Dempsey who passed away Saturday afternoon at 1 oclock following a short illness.  She was 72 married to Mr. Dempsey 1907 at Waupaca.
18.  Tuesday: Father Michael Drexler drops in at the store this morning, he is now assistant at St. Joseph's Marinette.  I believe his pastors name is Champagne.  Poor Mike, according to his own version, had to learn all over again how to be an assistant pastor.  Jennie (Johanna) Millers celebrates her golden wedding anniversary, although her husband Frank has been dead for 19 years.  They were married on Nov. 18th and he died on Nov 18th.  She has quite a party and receives many presents.
19.  Wednesday: Louis Struebing, one of the oldest if not the oldest tailor in Oshkosh is 88 years old today.
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23.  Sunday: To 730 High Mass Father Wagner completes Sermons about “The Lords Prayer.” Then to work for the rest of the morning.  This evening Mary Ann to work.  Thres and I attend rosary for Al Hetzel at Sitters.  Met many friends I had’nt met for some time, among them George and Millie Eigner from Milwaukee.  George says he had’nt seen Thres for 40 years. 
Com.  Al Hetzel
24.  Monday: [R 4 M] Aloys Hetzel is laid to rest.  Monsgnr. Bastian has the service.  Honorary pallbearers, Matt Mertz - Johnnie Berger - John Matayka - Fred Karst - Bill Nuernberg, and Myself.  Wisconsin is chosen by the “Big Ten” athletic directors to represent the conference in the Rose Bowl New Years Day against Southern California.  This is the first time in 40 years we have a champion team.
25.  Tuesday: To Kiwanis luncheon.
26.  Wednesday: [R 4 M] “The Oshkosh United Centennial Heritage” has a luncheon at the Town Grill.  I attend and am surprized to find myself treasurer of the organization.  Met Arville Nonweiler – Jesse Miller – W.C. Campbell.  They intend to have weekly luncheons.
27.  Thursday: [T] Well, it looks like real winter out this morning, a nice coat of snow and plenty cold.  Clarence Westphal and Florence Ostertag are married at 930 this morning by Father Milbauer. A very nice wedding. We go to Anna Ostertag's for a short visit to see the bride and groom.  Donald and Family are over for a 2 oclock Turkey Dinner. This evening we see the C.Y.O. Play “The little dog laughed” at St. Vincents.  Don and Arlene are with us.  Well rendered play, plenty of comedy.
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29.  Saturday: Had quite a visit with Forest Van der Pool about the Clara Kelly Estate building diagonally from our North Store.  Very busy day for me.  Worked tonight which I seldom do on Saturdays, got out Sunday Orders, Thres and Mary Ann visit with Weisheipls.  Aunt Annie is going to the hospital tomorrow afternoon. 
30.  Sunday: To 730 Mass Father Milbauer.  A letter from Bishop Bona about the Catholic University – Washington.  Temperature 8° above at 7 AM.  To work for short time.  At 11 Oclock we leave for Milwaukee, took Joanne Mauritz with us, arrived 12.45 stopped at “Schwabenhof” for Sandwiches then to the Arena to see the “Hollywood Ice Review” produced by Arthur M. Wirtz Chicago.  Stars Barbara Ann Scott –Carol Lynne –Andrea McLoughlin – Michael Kirby –Fred Trenkler – Skippy Baxter –The Bruises, a marvelous show, over about 5.30 the ladies did some window shopping from the car, then we drove out to Karl and Margaret where we meet the Antkoskis, I learn Im a “Gotta Motta” in Polish, which means God – father.  Harry and Agnes Kujawa arrived at 7 P.M.  This made the party complete for Karl.  Left at 10.20 home by 12 Midnight, nice driving in the moonlight. 
Com.  Father Gerold Walker

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