1

Bio: Hediger, Erika (Engagement 1983)

Contact: Kathleen E. Englebretson

Email: kathy@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Hediger, Kurasz

----Source: Marshfield News-Herald (08 December 1983)

Mrs. Charlotte Hediger and Herman Hediger Jr., both of Neillsville, announce the engagement of their daughter,, Erika Johanna of La Crosse, to Timothy Joe Kurasz, Eau Claire, son of Mrs. Joe Kurasz, Neillsville, and the late Mr. Kurasz, The bride-to-be is a 1982 graduate of Neillsville High school and is enrolled in data processing and accounting at District 1 Technical Institute-Eau Claire. Her fiance, a 1978 graduate of Neillsville High School, is majoring in elementary education at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. their wedding date is March 10.

2

Bio: Herkert, Diane (Engagement 1983)

Contact: Kathleen E. Englebretson

Email: kathy@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Herkert, Lindner

----Source: Marshfield News-Herald (08 December 1983)

Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence C. Herkert of 1809 S. Washington Ave. announce the engagement of their daughter, Diane Marie, to Dale Lindner, son of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Lindner of Route 1, Greenwood. Miss Herkert graduated in 1982 from Marshfield Senior High School and is employed at Southtown Foods. Her fiancé, 1980 graduate of Greenwood High School, is employed by Lindner Construction and farms. Their wedding date is October 13.

3

Bio: Smith, Juleen (Engagement - Nov 1983)

Contact: Kathleen E. Englebretson

Email: kathy@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Wimmer, Smith

----Source: Marshfield News-Herald (08 December 1983)

Mrs. and Mrs. Donald Smith of route 1, Loyal, announce the engagement of their daughter, Juleen, to Rodney E. Wimmer, Pittsville, son of Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Wimmer Jr., Medford. Miss Smith is a 1980 graduate of Loyal High School and works at Marshfield Clinic. Her fiancé, a 1976 graduate of Medford Senior High School, farms near Pittsville. Their wedding date is September 8.

4

News: Clark County - Cherokee Center (1983)

Contact: Kathleen E. Englebretson

Email: kathy@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Kilty, Fricke, Wiersig, Duvall, Gaetz, Courchane, Gustafson, Carr, Coates, Fricke, Rinehart, Johnson, Miller

----Source: Marshfield News-Herald (09 December 1983)

COLBY - Some 50 members of homemaker clubs of the Cherokee Center Monday recognized Donna Kilty as the new county president.

Rochelle Fricke was named as county treasurer. Both will take office in January.

Mrs. Vi Wiersig was elected chairman-elect and Bev Duvall was elected center treasurer. Guests included Kathy Gaetz, Marathon County Extension home economist.

It was decided to donate money to the Infant Rehabilitation Center inc., Marshfield. A home for handicapped children.

A pin was presented to Evelyn Courchane, Abbotsford, for her two years of service as secretary.

Clubs represented included Rosedale, Social corners, Franklin, Cherokee, Holton, Colby, Marathon-Clark, Brighton and Bruckerville.

Eight members of the Cherokee Homemakers club met recently at the home of Janalee Gustafson. Viola Wiersig talked about crafts and discussed her meeting at the North Central Technical Institute, Wausau.

The Christmas party with husbands will be at a later date. Topics were given by Barbara Carr, Irma Coates, Rochelle Fricke and Esther Rinehart.

Thursday's meeting will be at noon at the Joyce Johnson home. Madeline Duvall, Bernice Miller and Janalee Gustafson will plan the dinner.

5

Bio: Gaede, Vernon (Navy Deployment - 1983)

Contact: Kathleen E. Englebretson

Email: kathy@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Gaede

----Source: Marshfield News-Herald (09 December 1983)

Navy Electronics Technician 2nd Class Vernon M. Gaede, son of Marlowe Gaede, Route 2, Withee, is currently deployed to the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans.

He is a crew-member aboard the frigate USS Sample, home-ported in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

6

Obit: Hoffman, Joyce (1933-1983)

Contact: Kathleen E. Englebretson

Email: kathy@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Hoffman, Bradtke, Morrison, Duchow, Hildebrandt, Hinke, Geldernick, Stoflet, Steltenpohl

----Source: Marshfield News-Herald (09 December 1983)

Hoffman, Joyce (05 September 1933 - 08 December 1983)

CHILI - Mrs. Donald (Joyce) Hoffman, 50, Route 1, Chili, died Thursday evening at St. Joseph's Hospital, Marshfield. She had been a patient there since Monday.

Services will be Sunday at the Hansen Funeral Home, Marshfield. The Rev. T.P. Bradtke of Christ Lutheran Church will officiate. Visitation will be at the Hansen Funeral Home.

Joyce Morrison was born September 5, 1933 in the Town of Fremont, Clark County, to Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth (Edna Duchow) Morrison. She received her education at various schools in Wisconsin.

She was married to Donald Hoffman May 6, 1950 in Epiphany Lutheran Church, Stanley. After their marriage they lived in Rockford, Illinois until 1955 and then moved to the Town of Fremont, where they have lived since. She was employed at the Marshfield Convalescent Center from 1966-1976.

A member of Christ Lutheran Church, she is survived by her husband; her mother, Mrs. Edna Morrison of Marshfield; five sons, Paul T., at home, Donald Jr. and Mark, both of Chicago, and twin sons, Dean of Fort Polk, Louisiana and Dwight of Marshfield; two daughters, Mrs. Tom (Donna) Hildebrandt of Chili and Mrs. Kenneth (Fern) Hinke of Dorchester; seven grandchildren; three half-sisters, Mrs. Nona Geldernick of Des Plaines, Illinois. Mrs. Donald (Olive) Stoflet of Wisconsin Rapids and Mrs. Donald (Ila) Grimm of Arpin; and two half-brothers, Alvin and Eugene Steltenpohl, both of Marshfield.

She was predeceased by a half-brother, Merlin Steltenpohl.

Memorials may be given for cancer research.

7

Obit: Balkus, James (1908-1983)

Contact: Kathleen E. Englebretson
 
Email: kathy@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Balkus, Vesely, Schaefer

----Source: Marshfield News-Herald (09 December 1983)

Balkus, James T. (04 December 1908 - 06 December 1983)

DORCHESTER - James T. Balkus, 75, of Sheboygan died Tuesday at his residence.

Services will be Saturday at the Maurina Funeral Home, Dorchester. The Rev. James F. Schaefer of St. Louis Catholic Church will officiate. Burial will be in Dorchester Memorial Cemetery.

He was born December 4, 1908 in Cicero,m Illinois. He farmed in Plymouth for several years and for the past 30 years lived and worked in Sheboygan.

Surviving is a sister, Mrs. Leo (Ann) Vesely of Dorchester.

8

Bio: Fijalkiewicz, Emily (Christmas Memory - 1983)

Contact: Kathleen E. Englebretson

Email: kathy@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Fijalkiewicz

----Source: Marshfield News-Herald (10 December 1983)

There were holes in the package in front of me that Christmas Eve - holes my fingers had made as I tried to learn what was inside. There were things I had discovered about my present: it was cloth, its colors were red and blue, its texture was both rough and smooth. There were two things I longed to know: Was it a dress? Would it fit me?

With the milking chores finished, the family gathered in the living room. My older brothers were home from Chicago. It was they who had brought in and decorated the tree. The presents under the tree had come with them from Chicago. There was always joy and excitement whenever my brothers came home, but this particular Christmas visit brought an excitement and anticipation to us "younger kids" that we has never felt before and have not felt since that Christmas.

This was our first Christmas. My father steadfastly refused to allow any celebration of Christ's birthday on a date which he believed to be in conflict with Biblical accounts. It was on a very cold and sleety day the year my brother and hid friend cut two trees and dragged them home, hoping they would be allowed to put them up in their homes and decorate them for Christmas. The trees had to be thrown away.

My Father loved all of his children, but he could be influenced only by those who had grown up and left home for jobs in the city. It was the deep desire of these older brothers that the "Younger kids" at home know the joy of a Christmas celebration with a tree and presents. My Father was not an immovable object in the force of their irresistible efforts. Now all of us were around the tree, glowing as brightly as its lights.

Everything Christmas has ever been or ever could be was present in that room that night: a deep love for each other, joy and gladness in being together, excitement and intense curiosity about the contents of the packages. There was also a new wonderful sense of unity with the rest of the world in sharing the celebration of this very special birthday. Never were gifts so exciting, so appreciated, so fondled, and never was one gift so wrong!

The red and blue, rough and smooth something was a dress - a magnificent dress. Its red corduroy top had two rows of brass buttons. Its blue circle skirt lined with red was unlike any I had ever seen in Sear, Roebuck catalog. As I slipped the new-smelling dress over my head, a lump of disappointment rose in my throat, and I fought to keep back the tears. The skirt reached only half-way to my knees. My brothers knew at age 12, I had never had a new anything, and certainly not a new dress. They also knew that none of us ever owned a pair of skates. What they did not know was that they had chosen an ice-skating dress for my Christmas present.

There's something else they haven't known until now: I never wore that dress because it couldn't be altered, But there has never been such an ice-skater as I was in the visions I had of myself on a huge, wonderful rink wearing that dress.

There's something else I want my older brothers and sister to know: All the years that they brought Christmas to the "younger kids" at home will never be forgotten by any of the "younger kids."

Emily Rohland Fijalkiewicz (Route 2, Greenwood) was one of 10 children born and reared on a farm north of Withee. She is a Chapter 1 reading and math teacher for grades K-6 at Greenwood Elementary School. She has four grown children and eight grandchildren. Her hobbies include traveling and dancing, reading and learning. She is also interested in learning more about and sharing the German culture through the Deutscher Klub of Clark County.

9

Obit: Kronschnabl, Max (1915-1983)

Contact: Kathleen E. Englebretson

Email: kathy@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Kronschnabl, Fritsch, Schaefer, Mertens, Herman

----Source: Marshfield News-Herald (10 December 1983)

Kronschnabl, Max A. (20 September 1915 - 09 December 1983)

DORCHESTER - Max A. Kronschnabl, 68, Dorchester, was dead on arrival at the Colby Clinic Friday evening after suffering an apparent heart attack. Services will be Monday at St. Louis Catholic Church, Dorchester, with the Rev. James Schaefer officiating. Burial will be in Dorchester Memorial Cemetery.

Visitation and rosary services will be at the Maurina Funeral Home, Dorchester.

He was born September 20, 1915 at Dorchester to Mr. and Mrs. Joseph (Sarah Fritsch) Kronschnabl. He attended St. Louis Parochial School and was a 1933 graduate of Dorchester High School. He had been employed at Libby-McNeal and Libby Canning Co, in Lake Mills for a number of years and then for the Soo Line railroad. He was postmaster in Dorchester from 1941-43; manager of the Dorchester Memorial Hall from 1953-65; auto parts manager for Mertens Garage, Dorchester, then later in Medford from 1963 to the present.

He was a member of St. Louis Catholic Church, Catholic Family Life Insurance, Catholic Order of Foresters, an honorary member of the Dorchester Fire Department and past member of the Dorchester Lions Club.

Surviving are three sisters, Mrs. Carl (Helen) Mertens, Mrs. Clifford (Mildred) Herman and Miss Cecelia Kronschnabl, all of Dorchester.

He was predeceased by five brothers and two sisters.

Memorials can be made to the St. Louis Catholic Church Chairlift Fund.

10

Church: Greenwood - St, Mary's Catholic Church (St. Ann's Society - 1983)

Contact: Kathleen E. Englebretson

Email: kathy@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Larson, Bauer, Bogdonovich, Schmitz, Bushman, Nigon, Mertens, Lindner

----Source: Marshfield News-Herald (10 December 1983)

GREENWOOD - Christmas events were discussed recently 50 members of St. Ann's Society of St. Mary's Catholic Church.

Audrey Larson, chairman of St. Jane's Group, discussed the sale of fresh pine wreaths following the Sunday morning Masses.

Officers named were Laurette Bauer, president; Pat Bogdonovich, vice-president; Mary Schmitz, secretary; and Connie Bushman, treasurer.

Jeri Nigon, outgoing president, thanked the St. Frances and St. Agnes groups for the decorated tree and centerpiece.

The Rev. Michael Mertens was given a Christmas gift, Loretta Lindner and Helen Lindner will be in charge of the Christmas gifts for members who are shut-ins.

Members of the Satellites 4-H Club sang carols.