Diary of Alfred E. Potter July, 1954

01.  Thursday: Haircuts advance to 1.25 and shaves to a dollar in the city of Oshkosh. When I was a young man shaves were 10 cents and hair cuts were twenty-five cents. Joe Baier and Billy Mauritz are off to see the Milwaukee Braves battle the St. Louis Cardinals, and what happens, the Braves loose 9-2. Stan Musial 2 Home runs. Father Alphonse Wagner is in my office to say good bye. He is to leave tomorrow for a vacation trip to one of the "National Shrines." He has not yet received his new assignment from Bishop Bona.

02.  Friday: [1 R Fatima 1 R Otto Christianson   1 R Father Francis Schoettl] To 6.45 Mass, Father Milbauer.  We are in for rain today and much of it.  Drove to Berlin this afternoon to see Harry Kujawa about renewing Art Mueller’s and my note.  Harry is somewhat down in spirits.  Mary is not feeling well, and the bank examiners had been with him all week.  Dropped in to see Agnes and find Mary up but no appetite.  Promised Ag to check Marys prescription.  Also paid last respects to Otto Christianson at Konrads.  He is laid to rest this afternoon. 

Com.  Donald & Family – Mary Ann

03.  Saturday: And much more rain this morning.  Took Thres to Sacred Heart Church to Golden Anniversary Mass for Fred and Mary Schneider.  We visit them this afternoon to congratulate them.  Bobbie Tulledge is in from De Pere this morning with his father Ray, to make a loan.  We learn that Dr. Charles Ware died unexpectedly at his home 233 Central Ave. yesterday afternoon at 1.30.  Born April 21 – 1896 at Boscobel Wis.  He had his office over our store since 1924.  Married Hazel Werner July 3 1951.

04.  Sunday: [Johnny Kinderman brother to Aloys born July 4 – 1894] Heres a new one, mother and I overslept and attended 9 Oclock Mass instead of one of the earlier services.  The weather is clearing this afternoon.  We’re off to the cottage this afternoon.  Cork Weisheipl brings out Aunt Annie about 6 Oclock.  We did not stay too long.  Don and family come out after supper and we all drive back home to view television until midnight.  Don takes Aunt Annie home.

05.  Monday: Today turns out a grand day, not too hot. Back to the cottage by 11.30 took Aunt Annie Heip along, had dinner at 1 P.M. Donald and family are with us. Don and I spend the afternoon on the lake, did a little fishing also with very poor results.  Otto-Emma Lemke, Thres Froetschl out about 3 Oclock. When Don and I came in, we prepared a wiener roast. We then took a boatride ride after supper - it was the first for Donnie Jr. and Debbie.  Donnie enjoyed it very much, sang most of the time. Debbie looked a bit scared. After the ride we burned rubbish by the lake. About 9 Oclock Ed and Rose Binder came over. We all played Pokeno until about 12 Oclock. Don and family left for home (our house) to view T.V.  at 9³⁰ back about 10.30 with the news that Charles Blodgett had passed away. Emma & Otto left immediately, we broke up after midnite.

06.  Tuesday: Did not attend Kiwanis luncheon.  Lots more rain today.  Attended funeral service for Doctor Charles C Ware this afternoon at Konrad’s funeral home.  Masonic Service.  Art Mueller was a pallbearer.  Had a card from Msgr. W^m Renner today from Venice.

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08.  Thursday: Donald and myself at the cottage this morning, to begin cleaning out the weeds and thistles in the back.  Jim Geffers stops out to look over his set line.

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10.  Saturday: [T] Busy paying bills today.  This afternoon at 5.30 we leave for Berlin, to meet Carl – Margaret Radomski and children, also Anna Drexler.  The children Gail and Jimmy have certainly grown and are very polite and lovable.  We are off to Norton’s at Green Lake.  I treated the folks to a dinner, then at Carl’s request to the Republican House at Ripon, where a friend of Carl’s Andy Wargo is manager.  Back of Berlin by 12.30 and home at 1³⁰.  Our Mary Ann had a sick spell when we got back to Berlin.

11.  Sunday: To 9 Oclock Holy Mass, our new assistant Father Julius Meyer, offers the Mass and has the sermon.  After a nap, we move to the cottage for our first overnite stay this year.

12.  Monday: Mother entertains the S.S.B.M. (Card Club) Auxiliary and it is a good day to entertain.  Temperature is above 90°.  Sixteen ladies came out, and I think they had a very good time from Ma’s report.  This evening I took August and Della Jackish our neighbors along to the cottage.  It was their first visit with us at the lake.  Otto Lemke came out, and Don and family after work, too hot in town they say.  Just learned official temp was 92°.

13.  Tuesday: Rose Weisheipl is back to work after 8 ½ days absence.  Annie Weisheipl – Emma Lemke – Thres Froetschl – are with Thres today.  Robert and Alexander Shilobrit come out about 11 P.M.  The folks go home at 12.45.

14.  Wednesday: This is hospital visiting day for me.  Dropped in to see Aunt Mary, she’s happy as usual, also met Mrs. Ed Kleinschmidt, she doe’snt like hot weather, dropped in to see Michael Eichman.  He’s there for kidney stone removed last Friday, then to see Victor Kandy.  He is there with duodenal ulcer.  He tells me he passed out twice last Sunday morning.  Father Norbert Lemke had 9 Oclock Mass at Winneconne.  Thres had company Mame Siewert –Meta Shekey –Vees Havemann – Jo Nolte – Rose Binder and tonite Don and family and a surprize visit by Lawrence and Audrey Kinateder.  They learn to play “Pokeno” and like it.  Our little “Donnie” has quite a time going to sleep.  Party breaks up at 12.30.

15.  Thursday: Annie Heip – Thres Froetschl – and Emma Siewert are back again this noon.  Mary Ann and I worked thru until 10 P.M.  Had our supper at Wirtz’s.  Home at 10.30 very tired, but the ladies manage to get me into their Pokeno game and what happened, they kept me up until 2.30 A.M.  The women really set a record from noon until 2 A.M. at cards.  They tell me they ate wieners with one hand and played cards with the other.

16.  Well I took the gang home this morning and that should be enough card playing for a while.  Ma is glad to be back with plenty of weekend jobs awaiting her.  This evening we attended Rosary for Barbara Langkau at Sitters.  Met Norbert who used to work at Rothenbachs years ago, he tells me he’s gone 17 years, works in a shoe store 3d and State Streets Milwaukee.  His brother Norbert is also there in some machine shop.

17.  Saturday: Mrs. Langkau laid to rest.  Frank Stepp newly appointed Director of Vocational Education in Oshkosh passed away suddenly yesterday afternoon in Menominee.  He was attending summer session at Stout Institute.  Born July 25 – 1904 at Lake Mills Wis.  Married Mildred Eichinger October 1925 at Waukegan Ill.  Marianne Mueller – Gary Below are back from California this afternoon, starved and out of money.  They could not get a job in California.  Maybe they didn’t try hard enough.  Rose Weisheipl is laid up with an infected tooth.

18.  Sunday: To 7³⁰ Low Mass Fr. Julius Meyer.  Don and family leave with mother for the cottage.  Mary Ann and I work until 12.30.  Had plenty of company today.  Joe Baier and family – Bill Mauritz – Ray Ostertag families – Grandpa Mauritz –Grandma Mauritz –Carol Schmid – Doris Heisler – Gene or Jean Horejs, 28 of us all together.  Its a beautiful day, we all enjoyed it very.  Robert Binder dropped in to give us a ride in his own made boat.  Had his dad Frank and half brother John along. 

Com.  Barbara Langkau

19.  Monday: [R Barb Langkau   T G] Gave Norm Brown, a bumper order today.  Had him out to the cottage for the noon meal.  Drove his new Mercury Station Wagon and must say I liked it very much.  Don and Arlene completed burning rubbish at the cottage.  Temperature is 88° this afternoon.  Talk to Patricia Faust about her husband Jack this morning.  He is gone for almost four weeks to Wood to take treatments again.  The first time he tried Winnebago State Hospital.  Mike Haverty 16 fell asleep at the wheel of his car yesterday morning about 5.40.  He ran into a tree near Ray Lindseys, suffered a broken jaw.

20.  Tuesday: [R Vic Kandy] Jim Geffers sprayed weeds at their lot yesterday afternoon.  Also removed “For Sale” sign.  Used pretty strong weed killer, Thres had to close all the windows in our cottage.  Otto Lemke is temporarily laid off at Buckstaffs beginning yesterday.  He brought out Emma – Thres Froetschl –Annie Heip at 1 Oclock.  They played Canasta –Sheephead and Pokeno and stay until midnight.  Arlene brings Debbie in my office tonight to learn what she’s breaking out with.  I don’t know for sure, it might be chicken pox.

21.  Wednesday: Brought mother in from the cottage this morning.  Dr. Ray Wagner confirms that Debbie has chicken pox.  She has temperature 101°.  The dances at the T and O Bowling Lanes evidently did not pay off.  Even the free tickets did not draw a crowd.  The last dance was last night.  Mrs. Bertha Riemer, mother of Herb Riemer died about noon at Herb’s 219 Second Ave.  Born Dec. 9 – 1868 Milwaukee.  Her husband preceded her in death May 28 – 1940.

22.  Thursday: Kenny Sepersky is in town today.  Took him along to the cottage for the evening dinner.  Annie Heip – Emma Siewert and Thres Froetschl are out for the day.  Otto Lemke comes in about 8 this evening.  They stay until midnight.

23.  Friday: Ed Binder is in this morning, he brings the bad news that Rose is under treatment again, confidentially the doctors hold out little or no hope for her.  This is indeed a severe shock after so many happy years together.  Billy Mauritz try some fishing at the cottage.  This is his vacation week.  We take in “Gone with the Wind” in technicolor on the new large screen at the Raulf.  Clark Gable – Vivian Leigh – Leslie Howard – Olivia de Havilland.  From there to K.C. Club for lobster tail etc.  Herb Riemers mother buried today.

24.  Saturday: Debbie is getting along quite well, has a good appetite and fever is down.  This afternoon we attend reception at Doctor and Laura Scheins golden wedding anniversary.  They were married July 27 – 1904 at the brides home by Rev. Alfred Christiansen, now pastor at Topeka Kansas.  I gave the doctor a Hawick Gold Plated shaving set, the bride a bottle of toilet water.

25.  Sunday: To 7³⁰ Mass.  Father Milbauer.  Spent the morning at work.  This afternoon a two hour rest and then to the cottage with Thres.  We visited with Ed and Rose Binder from 7¹⁵ to 9¹⁵.  Rose is not looking well at all.  Their daughter and family the Fintags are here for a visit.  He is employed by Allis Chalmer, they live in Wauwatosa.  Arlene and children spend the evening at our house enjoying T.V. and brought Mary Ann to the cottage at 11.45.  Ma and me rack our brains over a game of scrabble.  Ohio Street Merchants Children’s picnic at South Park today. 

Com.  George Ruedinger

26. Monday: [R. Rose Binder   R. Matt Baier] Had Norm Brown out to the cottage this noon.  Showed him around a bit in the country, he likes that, said he could do this all day.  So could I if I had the time.  Temperature is about 90°.  Donald –Don Rothenbach –Ben Haberkorn – myself met with the Finance Committee City Council Carl Mailahn –Bill Harford – Arno Nonweiler about the purchase of Don’s house for parking purposes.  We are off to a bad start, will meet again.  Leon and Dolores Moore, sons Garry and Lee spend the evening at the cottage, until 12.15 A.M.

27.  Tuesday: [R. Honor Lady Fatima] Rose Weisheipl gets another two treatment.  The three musketeers are at the cottage with Thres.  I attended Mother of Perpetual Help Devotions and was surprised at the good attendance – Father Julius Meyer.  I played with the folks after work.  Otto was there also.  I lost 28 cents in 15 minutes.  Aunt Annie Heip stayed with us over night.  The job of widening South Main Street is begun today.  Temperature is up to 90°.

Clippings found between July 27/28, 1954 pages.

28.  Wednesday: [R. Rose Binder] Thres has more company.  Alvina Putzer – Jennie Miller –Elsie Kirsch – Rose Miller –Ann (Mrs. John) Drexler – Kate Duex – Clara Andrashko – Annie Weisheipl – Clara Bischoff – Mary Schneider.  Also stopping off at the place –Mary Bradley – Mrs. Otto Stoegbauer (Minnie Sperka).  Otto was taken to Sunnyview Sanatorium today.  After the ladies left Donald and family came out played Pokeno and then a nice visit until midnight.

29.  Thursday: [R. Caroline Baier] Donald and family have dinner at the cottage and bring Mary Ann to work.  I had my meal at Wirtz’s.  Leonard Reinke help’ed pass the time.  He also had luncheon there, also met Dan Kraus from Kramp Construction Co.  They are winding South Main Street.  Emma and Thres Froetschl are back again, they play until 11 P.M.  They took Annie Heip along, she was at the cottage since Tuesday noon.  Norm Brown has a birthday.  He is 46.

30.  Friday: we are all back home this morning.

31.  Saturday: [Art Mueller laid up with flu.] We drive to Neenah this morning to Norm and Sybelle Browns.  Father Bob is there and celebrates Holy Mass at their home.  It is his last day in the service of the National Guard and he is allowed to offer Holy Mass wherever he may be.  It is rather unique but a privilege to be there.  Met a number of friends and also made some new acquaintances.  On our way home stopped at Ernie Siewerts for food.  This afternoon to Mercy Hospital, visited Aunt Mary –Mayme Klemmer.  Had a nice visit with Rose Binder, she looks much improved with intravenous feedings. 

Com.  Rose Binder.