Diary of Alfred E. Potter November, 1954

01.  Monday: [R 4 M] The first day of November greets us with a blizzard and not a sample either.  It lasts all day and well into the night and I sure was worried about the radiator of my car freezing up.  Norman Brown is with us, he brings along two ducks, one a good sized mallard for our freezer.  This evening Confirmation at St. Johns by Bishop Grellinger.  I serve with Honor Guard also Joe and Eck Stoegbauer – Jack Faust –Mike Eichman – J Hetue.  Ma and I attend 6³⁰ Mass. 

Com.  Stanislaus Jarosch Katherine Holzbauer

02.  Tuesday: [Carl Reifer Born Nov. 2 – 1894] To Kiwanis Club, Jack McKane had a picture from Squibb for us.  Well I had to bring a birthday present, Bob Bork won my Yardley Shower Set and I won Bill Kemnitz present a Box of Yardley Soap.  Ma and me to 7³⁰ Mass, it is looking better out this morning, somewhat slushy.  This is also election day, all over the country and it looks like a tough fight coming up between the Democrats and Republicans.  I attend Perpetual Help Devotion.  Don and family are with us.  Debbie gets sick.  Carl Reifer’s birthday, he is 60. 

Com.  Msgr. Aloys Bastian.

03.  Wednesday: [R 4 M] Thres and I take a ride out to the country.  We visit Rose Binder in fact I had already received birthday wishes from her in todays mail.  Rose is not in very good shape.  She tries to be cheerful – that she seems to be losing ground – we hope not – but her sickness is practically incurable

04.  Thursday: Well here I am with another birthday, completed 64 years.  Attended 6.45 Mass.  Received 10 cards and a lot of “Happy Birthdays.” This evening we attend Church Supper by the Ladies of First English Lutheran Church.  This evening is spent at home with Don’s family with us.  The kiddies get a big kick out of opening my presents. 

Com.  Thanksgiving

05.  Friday: Father Leo Schiffler and his sister dropped in to see me at the office.  Had an hour of pleasant reminiscences, Judge Mayer – Spitz Bunkleman – Joe Rauch – Adolph Wittman – Bill Renner – Vic Kandy –Lovie Kandy (Mrs. M. Michels) all entered into the picture.  Thres and I to 6⁴⁵ Mass St. Vincents, we find there is no Mass at this time today, hurried to St. Johns, receive Holy Communion there.  Council of Catholic Women annual bake sale.  Thres rye bread of course.  We also deliver one good sized loaf and pears to Ed Binders. 

Com.  Don family – Mary Ann.

06.  Saturday: [Emma Siewert for Nov. 6 – 1886   MH 3 M] Emma Lemke is 68 today.  She tells Thres she is under the weather, had a thorough exam by Dr. Ray Wagner yesterday, she is 25 pounds overweight, blood pressure 200.

07.  Sunday: To 7³⁰ Hi Mass Father Meyer.  Worked steady all morning to get the orders of, worked until 12.45.  After a late dinner we leave at 3 Oclock for a drive going north on 45.  Landed at Wittenberg asked about Birnamwood find we are only 9 miles from there.  Stopped to visit Father Michael Drexler who is stationed here, with Eland and Wittenberg as his missions.  Had a nice visit find two Carolines and Mary Drexler there, they are ready to go home tonite, so we take them along home, pull in about 12.15 A.M.  Im hungry and tired. 

Com.  Emma Hurst

08.  Monday: [R 4 M] We have sandwiches for luncheon and Norm Brown enjoys them as much as we do.  Dess Wirtz entertains the ladies card club today and she has dessert luncheon for them at 1³⁰.  It is a kind of pre – celebration of her birthday.

09.  Tuesday: Had a note from Father Leo Schiffler today with some pictures taken of my classmates at St. Lawrence College about 46 years ago.  I surely was glad to get these.  According to a survey just released Oshkosh has one police officer for each 685 people.  The average is one for every 680.  It is however next to last in the amount of property protected.  We had 60 men providing protection each $2176530 worth of property the average of 18 other Wisconsin cities is 2738710 dollars.

10.  Wednesday: [R 4 M   T   V – 1] Weather is moderating.  Steve Wittman in his famous midget racer in airplane formally named “Chief Oshkosh” and now named “Buster” to Washington, D.C. to be on permanent exhibit at Smithsonian Institute.  It was piloted there yesterday morning about 10.30 by Robert Porter a member of Wittmans flying Service.  Steve and his wife accompanied him in a larger plane a Cessna.  Bishop Grellinger blesses St. Marys new Parish Hall at Omro this evening at 7.30.  Father Victor Kandy is Pastor at St. Marys.  Sorry, I meant at Winneconne, not Omro.

11.  [MW – 3]

12.  Friday: [R 2 M   V 1] Had a very bad night, much chest pains, had to sit up in bed several hours, to sleep about 2.30.

13.  Saturday: Thres should I say “Ma” has another birthday, 60 years and Dess Wirtz has one also.

14.  Sunday: [5 ½ hrs.] To 7³⁰ Hi Mass “Holy Name.” the Jesuit Father spoke to us about Jesuit Missions.  We had a surprise for mother, took her to dinner at the Raulf, the surprise, she didn’t know Don’s family were to be with us.  Dinner lasts from 1⁰⁰ until 3³⁰ oclock.  Don’s family spend the evening at the house, Thres plays cards at St. Vincents with Annie Heip – Thres Froetschl – Mary Schneider.  Its for the benefit of the Catholic Youth Drum and Bugle Corps.  They need uniforms.  Don’s family home at 11.30. 

Com.  Msgr. Aloys Bastian

15.  Monday: [10 hours   R 2 M   VA 1   Lionel Barrymore dies tonite] Norm Brown is with us.  Thres presents him with some of her birthday cake and some home made rye bread.

16.  Tuesday: Edward and myself to Milwaukee this morning.  I made the trip in one hour eighteen minutes, on the new 41 highway.  Stopped at McClurg’s Dick Lynch – Lydia and Renee Kimmel are there.  Renee pays for our luncheon at the “Cape Cod.” Then to Broadway Church Goods.  Picked up “Knox Missal” for Sister Alverna from Alex Paradowski – then to McKesson’s, met Bob Kniss and Mr. Sturge both Lilly reps. then to Towne Theatre to see Judy Garland – James Mason in “A New Star is born” then to “Mammy’s ” for dinner, “Schwabenhoff” is out of business.  Eddie drove on way home, in town 11 P.M.  Temperature around 70° today.

17. Wednesday: [Father Louis Schorn appointed Pastor St. Vincents   R 4 M   VA 1   8 ½ hrs.  Bishop Grellinger appointed Dean succeeding Msgr. Bastian] I’m on the job at 8 A.M. today.  Two days mail accumulated.  It pays to get there earlier, get much more work done and undisturbed.  Lionel Barrymore famous actor passed away Monday night of a heart attack, in his favorite chair (wheelchair) reciting from Macbeth.  Born April 28 – 1878 in Philadelphia.  Badger Lumber Company was the scene of fire late this afternoon about 4.30.  Fire started in a spray booth and apparently was completely out, when a flash of flames in the conveyer drier filled the room with dense clouds of acrid smoke, knocking out Chief Art Apel 70 – Bill Bormann 46 – Neil Starke 34 –Jarvis Stanka 42.

18.  Thursday: [Otto Lemke gets a new Nash today.  10 hrs.] We receive news who the new pastor is going to be at St. Vincents.  He is Father Louis Schorn of Sacred Heart parish, Manitowoc.  He is a native of Two Rivers, ordained April 14, 1916 and appointed assistant to Father Bastian.  It was at a time when German sermons still prevailed at St. Vincents and poor Father Schorn had quite a time trying to deliver one in that language.  But he and Father Bastian got along very well together.  He was chaplain in the Fifth Infantry in 1918-1919 in France, St. Marys at Custer 1919-1923, then to Wausaukee until 1939 September to Sacred Heart at Manitowoc.  He attended St. Lawrence College Mt. Calvary when I did.  Art and Aug Dragers mother Agnes died Wednesday evening 8.40 at Mercy.  Art is organist at St. Johns.

19.  Friday: [TEG   R 4 M     VA 1 8 ½ hrs.  South Main St. opened to traffic] Fire Chief Art Apel passed away this morning at 3.15 of pneumonia brought on by inhaling lacquer fumes at the Badger Lumber Company fire and subsequent explosion.  Born March 23 – 1884.  Married Henrietta Corneille Sept.19 – 1917.  Appointed to Fire Dept. Sept. 18 – 1916 named Chief Oct. 11-1951.  South Main Street is again open to traffic.  New permanent job completed makes a 48 feet wide thoroughfare

20.  Saturday: This is moving day for Donald and family from 510 10th to 1815 Oregon.  John and Lucille Felker are with them all day, helping to move and get things straightened in the house.  Vern W Belonger 7 E New York Ave. died at 10.45 this morning.  Born New London July 21 – 1886.  Married Nell O’Connell Jan. 12 – 1921.  Sang in Church Choirs since 1911 St. Marys here since 1939.

21.  H Sunday: [6 hrs.] To 7³⁰ Hi Mass – Father Milbauer Foresters Memorial Mass.  Thres and Mary Ann attend Sisters party at St. Vincents Hall this afternoons.  I left them 18 cans of Fruit Cocktail – Peaches – Pears.  Sister Alverna is presented with a 15⁰⁰ Knox Missal and she is thrilled.  This marks for Silver Anniversary in Oshkosh.  Ira Davies formerly of Oshkosh died today at St. Joseph’s Hospital Milwaukee.  He was with Coca Cola 47 years.  I remember seeing him at Drug Conventions handing out free Coca Cola.

22.  Monday: Andrei Y Vishinsky, Soviet deputy foreign minister and Russia’s chief delegate to the United Nations died today following a heart attack.  He attended a dinner last night and was seen there at 11.15 by Ambassador Cabot Lodge Jr. and was in find good humor and talkative as always.  I paid last respects to Fire Chief Arthur Apel at Konrad funeral home.  Services at 11 A.M. at Trinity Episcopal and laid to rest in Riverside Cemetery.  I attended 4th Degree K.C. tonight.  Chuck Fiss spoke on the Presentation of the Chalice to a deceased member.  I took Ed Ostertag from Appleton to the depot.

23.  Tuesday: [MH – 3 – 9 M] Well we are having snow and plenty of it today.  But will it stay?  Ed Froetschl had a peculiar accident this afternoon about 2.30.  He and Ray Schmidt tried to hang a ladder on the ceiling in our basement at the 10th St. store, both held the same end of the ladder and the end they did not hold fell and Froetschl almost pinched the end of his thumb off.  Took Dr. Wagner an hour to get it served properly.  Oscar Rennebohms Dairy Farm is sold, 278 Acres and 100 head registered Holsteins.  Sold to 4 Man Group headed by B.J. Miller.

24.  Wednesday: [R 4 M] Dr. A.G. Tookey, one of the first chiropractors in Oshkosh died at his home 478 Jackson Drive at 4 Oclock this morning.  Born Oct. 1 – 1881 Kansas City Missouri.  Came to Oshkosh in 1907 shortly after his marriage to Frieda Below of Antigo.  Survived by Wife –two sons Rollin and Dr. James Grand Prairie Texas.

25.  Thursday: [M H – out today.  2 ½ hrs.] Mother and I to 8 Oclock Hi Mass, Father Meyer.  After Mass, exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.  After Mass to work- took Debbie and Donnie out for an hour to help Arlene with that big turkey dinner preparation.  We are invited to help them take care of that turkey, its a fifteen pounder and did I get a surprise - I had to carve it, my first try and I did quite well.

Com.  Thanksgiving

26.  Friday: [9 ½ hrs.] Ed Fretschl drops in at the store this afternoon.  His finger is doing well.  Tommy Weisheipl is 6 today.

27.  Saturday: [MH 3 – 9 M  8 ½ hrs.] Eddie Weisheipl gets a new car today, its in 1948 Chevrolet, two tone and looks like a brand new job.  The Holy Father Pope Pius XII is suffering a recurrence of hiccup attacks.  He has been suffering from a severe gastric ailment for a long time.  Last January he was so weak and he had to be fed intravenously.

28.  Sunday: To 7³⁰ Hi Mass Father Meyer Sermon “Sanctifying Grace.” Early morn beautiful – clear – midmorning cloudy – this afternoon – snow.  We finish the Thanksgiving turkey at Donald’s today.

Com.  Welfare Thres

29.  Monday: [Lizzie Hannes passed away 1.30 A.M.] Lizzie Hannes 922 – 7th St. passed away unexpectedly at home at 1.30 this morning.  Saw her after Mass Thanksgiving morning, she tells me she has trouble breathing especially at night.  Born May 6 1877 Married Louis Nov. 29 – 1900.

30.  Tuesday: British Prime Minister Winston Churchill is 80 today.  Bishop John B. Grellinger celebrates his Silver Jubilee in the priesthood with a Pontifical Hi Mass at St. Mary's.