Diary of Alfred E. Potter January, 1947

01.  Wednesday: Another year begins.  We attend 9 Oclock Mass at St. Vincents.  The New Year is ushered in with 14° below zero that during the night the temperature rises to 6° below.

02.  Thursday: Had a note from the Sisters at St. Johns.  Elsie Meisner is back on the job after a week’s vacation.

03.  Friday: We have company tonite Joe – Emma Baier – Bill and Rose Mauritz – Ray and Ann Ostertag.  Spend a pleasant evening.  The folks leave at 2 A.M.

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05.  Sunday: To 7³⁰ Hi Mass St. Vincents.  The mixed choir sings one of the newer masses.  Worked 3 ½ hours today.  Art Mueller and Elsie Meisner are on the job today.  This evening is spent at the Heips 1224 – 6th St. We start for home at 2 A.M. took Aunt Lena home.  She has a game leg.  Thres Fretschl is also with us.  Visited the remains of Caroline Penzenstadler before going to see the Heips.

M.O.  Caroline Penzenstadler

06.  Monday: Mrs. Theresa Lyman passed away this afternoon at 4³⁰.  Born in Watertown, Wis. April 5 -1870.  The business of the Oshkosh Tent and Awning Co. is sold today by Jack Embs and Leo Bussey to Everett George of Decatur, Il.  Mr. George moved to Oshkosh and will reside with his family at 1827 Hubbard St.

07.  Tuesday: To Kiwanis luncheon, sit with the officers today.  We hear a splendid talk on vocational guidance by Walter Van Haitsma.  Monsignor Michael Schmitz passed away at 8⁵⁰ this morning at Mercy Hospital.  Born Jan. 31 – 1870 at Johnsburg.  Ordained June 16 – 1895.  Assistant at St. Nazianz – Burlington – Pastor at Kiel and Elkhart Lake.  Came to Oshkosh April 26 – 1906.  Ken Ziperski makes his first call here for United Drug Company.  He is taking on Harry Ferry’s call here.

08.  Wednesday: Over to Fiss & Bills this evening to view the remains of Theresa Lyman, Phil’s mother and wife of Harry Lyman.

09.  Thursday: Walter Patri completed a new will for me, and I receive it today.  Out to Sacred Heart Church this afternoon to view the remains of Monsignor Schmitz.  Were surprised with the package on our front steps this afternoon.  It contained 3 packages of venison steaks from Harry Kujawa, and by the way today is Agnes’ birthday.

10.  Friday: Monsignor Michael Schmitz is laid to rest at Sacred Heart Cemetery.  Bishop Stanislaus Bona celebrated the Pontifical Requiem.  Pallbearers were Revs. Jos. Ahearn, Lawrence Loerke, Joseph Szuprugt, Joseph Rauch, Immell Schmidt and Mathias Hauch.  Twenty one years ago this evening Gertrude Weisheipl passed away at the age of 10.  Her birthday had been Jan. 4^th.  Put in 12 hours of work today.

11.  Saturday: Took Annie and Joe Weisheipl to the Strand tonite.  “Three Wise Fools” stars Margaret O’Brien – Lionel Barrymore – Louis Stone – Edward Arnold.  “Below the Deadline” stars Warren Douglas – Ramsay Ames.  Entertained the folks at our house until 12.30.

12.  Sunday: To 7³⁰ Mass with Holy Name Society, and then to work.  Worked 6 hours today, and spend the balance of this evening at Ed Fretschl’s home.  Joe and Annie Heip, Aunt Lena are there also.  Thres is lucky at sheephead.  Took Aunt Lena – Annie home at 1 A.M.

Com.  Members Holy Name

13.  Monday: Attended Kiwanis Directors meeting at the Athearn.

14.  Tuesday: Missed Kiwanis luncheon this noon.  Not feeling any too well. _____Raths calls on us for Yahr Lange Drug to take Norm Brown’s placed temporarily.  To Mother of Perpetual Help Devotion tonite, and to Boy Scout Troop Committee meeting after church.  Father Leo Ott – Milt Fitzgerald –W^m Bougie – Frank Kempinger – Bob Weber and myself are there.

15.  Wednesday: Donald attends Graduation Banquet at the American Legion Clubhouse tonite.  I worked part time tonite, put in 10 hours of work today.  Lawrence Kinateder was here when Mary Ann and myself get home.  Played sheephead and Lawrence almost wins.  He goes home at 12 Oclock.  Eddie Kollross passed away suddenly this afternoon 1³⁰ at Rochester, Minn.  Born Aug. 10 -1897.

16.  Thursday: This is a great day for Donald, he graduated from Hi School.  Uncle Joe, Aunt Annie, Aunt Lena attend the graduation exercises with us.  The speakers Margaret Tellekson, Robert Wagenhals, Nona Eggers, Michael Anderson are very interesting.  After the graduation the folks stop with us, Donald takes them home at 1³⁰ A.M.

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18.  Saturday: Jim Daugherty, teller at the Security Bank looks very tired this morning, well why should’nt he be.  He tells me he was up all night waiting for a little bundle.  It came about 7⁰⁰ A.M. weighs 8 # 12 oz. and its a girl.  Took Thres and Mary Ann to “Oshkosh” to see Bing Crosby – Gloria Jean –Charles Winninger –Ed Brendel in “If I had my Way,” also Theresa Wright and Joseph Cotten in “Shadow of a Doubt.”

19.  Sunday: [T] To 7³⁰ Hi Mass St. Vincents.  Donald begins working at the South Store today.  This evening Thres and myself view the remains of Eddie Kollross at Fiss and Bills.  I spent the rest of the evening cleaning up in our dining room, getting rid of old papers, magazines, etc.  Had a lovely venison dinner today.

20.  Monday: Received a letter from Sister Virginia, Tulsa Oklahoma, today, sure was a treat to hear from her.

21.  Tuesday: [R 2 M] To Kiwanis luncheon, J.A. Breese – Lawrence Buick – Hub Krumrich – and myself make up a table.  Clem Luecke is our speaker, and he sure is a good one.  Temperature drops to 11° below zero during the night, and our fire at the South Store is out this morning, someone accidentally turned off the stoker switch, result fire out.  Art Mueller takes a morning out.

22.  Wednesday: Wrote letter to Sister Virginia tonite.

23.  Thursday: We have an accident during the night.  Our bed breaks down, I slept on, but Thres did’nt.  Had Bill Mauritz fix it for us.  Raymond Ostertag Jr. is 11 years of age today.  Bill Mauritz tells me about the big northern pike he caught on some one else’s line Sunday.  Art Mueller takes another morning out.  Weather is moderating, up to 43° today.

24.  Friday: I send packages to Germany today, one to Theresa Rothbauer, Postamt Parsberg (13 A) Oberpfalz, Bayern German American Zone, the other for Aunt Lena to Maria Breitschopf, Schmidham 85, Kreis: Griesbach (Rottal) (Ndb) U. S. Zone.  Received a letter from Lovie Czekalski today.  Met Phil Laffe at the post office, had’nt seen him for some time, he’d like to have Donald pay him a visit.  Answered Lovie’s letter tonite.  Harry Agnes Johnny Kujawa dropped in to see us tonite.  Temperatures up to 50° today.

25.  Saturday: [T] Thres has a bad cold and so is Aunt Mary.  Took Aunt Lena – Mary Ann to the Oshkosh tonite.  The Marx Brothers – Chico – Harpo and Groucho entertain in “A Night in Casablanca” “Flight to Nowhere” stars Alan Curtis – Evelyn Ankers – Jack Holt.

26.  Sunday: To 7³⁰ Mass St. Vincents.  Donald serves 1030.  Worked 6 hours today.  Joe Hemmer drops in at the store tonite, he’s feeling pretty good and he wants to beat the pants off of me and Thres in a game of sheephead.  Well maybe we’ll take him on one of these days.

27.  Monday: Bill Mauritz is 43 today.

28.  Tuesday: Aunt Lena Baier has a birthday, she is 70 and feeling pretty well.  She is out with Rose and Ann most of the day, having stayed over from Bills birthday yesterday.

29.  Wednesday: The Heips –The Fretschls and The Potters are at Joe Baier’s tonite to celebrate Aunt Lena’s Birthday.  But it turns out to be a stormy night.  Joe was a fine host and even had to shovel me out of the snow on Ohio Street after I was stuck.  Got home at 1⁴⁰ A.M. and was glad to get here without mishap.

30.  Thursday: The town is really tired of this morning.  We slept little.  Thres has bad cramps in her legs, can hardly stand on her feet.  Boots pesters us quite a bit, too much snow for him.  Learn this morning that Joe and Annie Heip had a worse experience than we did.  Joe got stuck on Rugby Street and had to leave his car stalled.  A taxi brought them home at 3 A.M.

31.  Friday: The town is gradually shoveling itself out of the snow.  The storm was quite general.  Milwaukee had about 19 inches of snow the worst blizzard since Feb. 4, 1924.  I did some chauffeuring, took Eddie Weisheipl home twice, Joe Baier twice, also Jackie Rothe.  Eddie lives at 303 Prospect.