Diary of Alfred E. Potter April, 1954

01.  Thursday: [10 ½ hrs.] Did’nt get to church this morning.  Guess I’ll have to go to bed earlier.  It was 1.45 this morning.  Thres visits at Aunt Annie Heips this afternoon. Betty Drexler (Mrs. Frank) is there with the children.  Mary Ann and I have our evening meal at Ed Wirtz’s. Max Friedman, Pres. of the Schuster Stores Milwaukee passed away suddenly yesterday morning on the Panama Ltd. on his way home from a two months Caribbean vacation.  He was 64.  Ma entertains Mrs. Ed Beck – Mrs. Alois Grof – Emma Lemke tonight at sheephead.  I checked Vouchers – posted and balanced books, paid some bills, made out payroll.  Everything OK, no errors.

02.  Friday: [R 2 M] To First Friday Holy Mass.  Excise Tax Cuts on cosmetics – household appliances – leather goods and many other items are reduced by 5 and 10% effective as of yesterday.  Forty Hours Devotion begins at St. Vincents.  Attended evening service.  Father Sheehan spoke about our “Blessed Mother.” Sybelle Brown and Lavine Haverty are at Alverno Retreat House for the weekend. 

Com.  Don Family and Mary Ann.

03.  Saturday: [8 hrs.] N. Y. longest and costliest dock strike ended today.  Cost 500 Million.  Mary Ann and Joann Mauritz to Milwaukee this morning on the 8 Oclock streamliner.  Thres and self to church this afternoon, also to confession.  Took Thres out for dinner at the Town Grill.  Margaret Hable waited on us.  I ate a little too much, felt uncomfortable after the meal, altho I had only 1 cup coffee 1 pork chop, one small potato 1 piece of bread in 25 hours.  Mary Ann is home by 10.45 – they arrived in Oshkosh at 7¹⁵ P.M.  Shopped Gimbels and Boston Store.  Temperature down to 6 above this morning, up 39 year record, Tony Pable is brought home from Sunnyview.

04.  Sunday: [2 hours] K.C. Annual Communion and breakfast at St. Josaphats Church is packed with K.C.’s, they also sang on the choir and serve the Mass.  Bishop Grellinger spoke after the breakfast.  It was a very effective sermon on “Faith.” Thres and Mary Ann to see “Rosemarie” at the Raulf this afternoon.  Marge Haverty has a birthday.  We sing the birthday song for her over the phone.  Forty Hours closes.  Father Sheehan speaks on the invitation of Christ to be our Spiritual Food often every week or every day if possible.  I served as honor guard K.C. and then attended Oshkosh Civic Symphony Concert at South Park Auditorium.  Very Good Program. 

Com.  Deceased Members KC.

05.  Monday: [R 2 M   9 hrs.] To 6³⁰ Mass that is all of us.  Norm Brown is with us this noon, he looks as tho he lost a few pounds.  I think he missed Sybelles cooking while she was on retreat.  Mame Klemmer fractured her hip when she slipped at Kleins store today.  Thres Fretschl birthday, she is 67.  Dr. Kleinschmidt medicates my teeth. 

Com.  Will Haidlinger

06.  Tuesday: [8 hrs.] Election Day today. Temperature up to 55° Monday afternoon, up to 63° this aft. To Kiwanis Club, had an interesting movie on what makes "Kiwanis" tick. How the folks at "Elmdale" got a young doctor for their small town. When I come out "Lo and behold" I have another parking ticket by officer 104 this time. To Cemetery to look over the new fencing project. Find it is going along nicely by Ted Plier. Then to Board meeting, find Jay Putney and Karl Schmidt there with a plea for open gates near the chapel. Donald and family and me to Stations, Mother to S.S.B.M. Auxiliary potluck and cards. Ma furnished "Rye Bread" as usual.

07.  Wednesday: [R 4 M] Mary Ann almost went to church this morning, but a drenching rain sent her back home with a bent up umbrella and soaked to the skin.  I was smart I took the car.  Thres Froetschl celebrates her birthday this evening with Mame Erbes –Annie Weisheipl – Emma Lemke – and Thres Potter over.  I came in after work.  Took the ladies home 1 A.M. 

Com.  Bob Lang 6th St.

08.  Thursday: Didn’t get to bed until 2.30 A.M. so I slept until 9.30.  Mary Ann had to stay home from work today.

09.  Friday: [R 4 M] Well I get to Holy Mass this morning 6.30.  Art Hazen and Agnes are there also.  Thres and me to Mode tonight to see “Pony Express” with Charlton Heston –Rhonda Fleming – Forrest Tucker and “The Juggler” with Kirk Douglas and Milly Vitale. 

Com.  Emma Baier

10.  Saturday: [Frank Binder Born April 10 – 1893] To 6⁴⁵ Mass with Mary Ann.  Mother could not go this morning.  Fred and Loretta Baumgartner – Frank and Mildred Stepp leave for a trip South this afternoon.  They are heading for New Orleans and other southern cities.  This is Frank Binder’s birthday.  He has been employed at the Post Office as money order clerk for many years. 

Com.  Charlotte Arndt

11.  Sunday: [R Grandma Baier] To 7³⁰ Mass with Holy Name Men, service lasts until 8.50 Father Wagner.  Sandra Felker is confirm this morning.  A 75 dollar watch is her present from the parents.  Ma and I see “Ma and Pa Kettle at Home” Marjorie Main –Percy Kilbride (Ma and Pa) Alice Kelley – Brett Halsey – Allan Mobray also “Drums of Tahiti” Dennis O’Keefe – Patricia Medina –Francis Sullivan, “A Volcano erupts.”

Com.  Theresa Sitzberger

12.  Monday: [R 4 M   T] To 6.30 Mass, all of us.  Norm Brown is here for chicken dinner.  Thres plays cards at Mrs. William Thobaben’s Rahr Avenue comes in for second prize. I chauffeured Emma – Thres – Leone Dodd over and back.  This evening Thres entertains in honor of Bessie White, mother of Bettie Drexler.  Caroline – Bettie Drexler, Hazel Young, Emma Heppler.  Margaret Brunover – Annie Heip.  Mrs. White is going back to England next Monday.  I spend part of the evening viewing Television at Joe Baiers and fell asleep. 

Com.  Johanna Lang.

13.  Tuesday: To Kiwanis Club, Dr. Taylor Alton of Appleton is our speaker.  I believe he is a Methodist minister

14.  Wednesday: To 6⁴⁵ Mass Monsignor Bastian. 

Com.  Walter Dodd

15.  Thursday: Communion at 7 Oclock, no Holy Mass at 6.45.  This turns out to be a day of rain. 

Com.  Father Kelly.

16.  Friday: We had approximately one inch of rain yesterday.

17.  Saturday: Joe Rieger moves to a new place this afternoon. Donald helped him to move his belongings to Mrs. Cath Panske's boarding home. He was with us since April 16th last year. I would say he has a nice start to be on this own. He has exactly 2000 dollars in the bank savings account. We all wish him the best of luck.

18.  Sunday: To 7³⁰ Mass Father Wagner. Worked a few hours. Weather is nice, a little colder. Had our dinner at Hotel Raulf, took Joe Rieger along. Noted Joe Weisheipl Jr. having dinner all by himself, invited him to have dinner with us, which he did and it turned out to be quite a fun fest. Then to Mercy Hospital, visited Mame Klemmer Room 240, Loretta and Gertrude are with her. Met Sisters Laurentina, Irene, Mechtildis. Visited Aunt Mary, she's happy, also Mrs. Hazel Kleinschmidt and Mrs. Rebandt, Clara Gerth's mother. Home at 4³⁰. Donald and family came in for their Easter presents, we all pecked eggs, had a light luncheon. Donnie Jr. left a small package for us, it was accepted graciously. Worked a short time tonite. Mary Ann is also working tonite. Two games cribbage; I won one. 

Com.  Honor Risen Saviour

19.  Monday: [R 4 M] Another nice day.  Norm Brown is here for “Wiener Schnitzel.” Had a strong conversation “phone” with A. O. Haas, Milwaukee; Howdin Distilled Products Inc.  Attended Oregon St. Merchants banquet at the Athearn tonight.  Installation of officers by Ex Pres. Hubert Krumrich. Mort Gazerawitz New President – Don Rothenbach Vice Pres. –Earl Siewert Secy – Treas.

20.  Tuesday: I alone to 6⁴⁵ Mass – Msgr. Bastian.  I’m rather tired spent until 3 A.M. with mother.  She had quite a bad spell shortly after we got to bed.  She stays in bed most of the day.  To Kiwanis luncheon; had several distinguished guests: Thomas L. Thomas – J.A. Breese –Paul Wertsch – Ralph Emerson.  Appollo Male Singers are celebrating their 25th Anniversary J.A. Breese was the organizer and director until he left Oshkosh for California.  Attended their concert tonight at the Opera House.  Sister M. Matilda, superior at St. Vincents is at Chicago attending National Catholic Education Association.

21.  Wednesday: [R 4 M] What a sleepy had I turned out to be, slept from 12 midnight until 9 A.M.  Amalia Fuchs is over to pick up 3 St. Josephs papers.  Harold and Janet Timmerman are celebrating their twentieth wedding anniversary.  Thres and I visit Tony and Jennie Pable tonight Tony remembers the stories from away back.  Had a letter from Msgr. Will Renner today, also heard from Ven. Sister Melora.  Ida Johanna Voss, Mother of Mayor Voss passed away.  Art Mueller has been laid up two days with a strained ligament he got bowling Monday Night.

22.  Thursday: [TG] To 6.45 Mass – Father Wagner.  Doug Hunt is in town – he is here to look over all our North Store.  He came back from a Florida vacation this morning.  He still misses Father John Nuernberg.  Well I miss him too and so do many of his friends.  We deliver a door prize to St. Johns –Mrs. Kettner - for card party, then paid last respects to Herman Koeck at Meyers –then to Hrnaks Flower Show for South Side Business Mens Club, then to Wis. Phone Co. for a trip thru, saw Celia Drexler at the board. 

M.O. Herman Koeck.

Com.  Emma Hurst

23.  Friday: Thres gets a permanent today.  Paid last respects to Ida Streich this morning.  She is laid to rest this afternoon at Riverside.  We visited the Columbus Club for our evening meal.  The same old crowd that has been coming for years is there.  Met Father Clancy visiting Dr. Ray Wagner.  He was with Ray during his stay in Boston, during the war.  After that we attend boxing at St. Vincents Father Wagner’s annual exhibition

24.  Saturday: More rain today, our supply of moisture is gradually catching up with last year.  Donald and myself clean out the front attic entirely, mother does the scrubbing and now its up to me to get things back into shape.  Tonight we see “King of the Khyber Rifles” at the Oshkosh with Tyrone Power – Terry Moore –Michael Rennie, also “Sky Commando with Dan Duryea – Frances Gifford – Touch Connors.

25.  Sunday: To 7³⁰ Hi Mass Father Milbauer –He spoke about the Garden of Eden – Adam – and Eve and the Serpent and Christ the Saviour.  Took Emma and Otto Lemke along to Thobabens this afternoon.  Bill and Alma are celebrating their Golden Wedding Anniversary.  Chief of Police “Bill Golz” and Mrs. are there.  Bill thanked me for the pipe Arthur H. Mueller gave him for me.  Its a 15 dollar briar, the Chief should get many a good smoke out of it.  Thres and Emma are in the sheephead playoffs at K.C. Club House tonight.  Mary Ann and I go to the “Time.” Red Skelton is good in “The Great Diamond Robbery” Jeff Chandler – Maureen O’Hara star in “War Arrow.”

Com.  Rob Stamborski

26.  Monday: Served as Honorary Pallbearer Robert Stamborski funeral with Matt Mertz, Gene Whittemore, Paul Dietzo, Bill Steckbauer, John Mateyka. Norm Brown is with us for the noon meal. Thres plays cards at Dess Wirt’z today. She gets no prize. Emma Siewert comes home with her and spends the evening at our place playing Canasta. I did a little, I should say a little work in the attic.

27.  Tuesday: To Kiwanis luncheon, had Ken Sepersky as my guest.  Gust Keller Lt. Governor is our speaker.  Mary Paulick 741 – 11th (Mrs. Anton) is 65 years old today.  Ven. Sister Alverna, fell and broke her wrist today.  Aunt Annie Heip is with us for the evening.  John L. Roe, Lake Rest Manor R #1 died this afternoon at 3 Oclock.  Born Nov. 18 – 1901.  He was head of Roe Nurseries.  His wife was the former Delma (Mrs. Tony) Koeck.

28.  Wednesday: [R 4 M] We are getting plastered today, that is our east room upstairs is getting a new ceiling. George and Doris Mitchell begin washing walls, this afternoon they cleaned the living room. Took Annie Heip over to Walter Patrie this afternoon. Walter drew up a will for her, I was named executor. Met John Jungbauer by the Oshkosh National Bank. He is looking very good. Have’nt seen him for a long time.

29.   Thursday: [T] Surprized ourselves by buying a Philco Television Set at “Appliance Mart.” Attended the windup meeting of the “Oshkosh Centennial Corporation” tonite at City Hall. We turned over to the “Oshkosh Foundation” a check for 8292.85 profit which was made mostly thru the efforts of Brothers of the Brush 5400.63 Sister of the Swish 2433.75 a total of 7834.38 by these two organizations, balance 468.47 profit from all other activities. Are we lucky to have had “Brothers of Brush and Sisters of Swish.”

30.  Friday: [R 2 M] John Jungbauer passed away suddenly at 6.40 A.M. today. I spoke to him only Wednesday afternoon; he looked the picture of health. Born May 8- 1898. Paid final respects to John Roe at Fiss and Bills. Funeral Service at 11 A.M. by Father McKeough. I see by the paper Heiss Bakery are closing their retail store. Well, I remember 50 years ago, they had one of the first soda fountains in Oshkosh, made their own ice cream and we kids would get a big ice cream sundae for 5 cents and all the oyster crackers we wanted.