BioA: Laabs, Mr./Mrs. Arthur (50th - 1959)

Contact: Crystal Wendt
Email: crystal@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Laabs, Lorenz, Peissig, Bergstrom, Milestone, Whitman, Schultz, Kasper, Knecht, Krueger, Krahn, Glenzer, Olson, Meinhold, Leibzeit, Perosek, Bowen, Marquardt, Ludwig, Fritsche, Lemmer, Brunstadt, Fischer, Johnson, Cattanach, Hoffman

----Sources: Scrap book two: by Erna Schenk Price, contributed by Halbert "Bud" Hardrath

Labbs, Mr./Mrs. Arthur (50th - 29 May 1959)

Mr. and Mrs. Arthur G. Laabs, Colby, celebrated their golden wedding anniversary at an open house in the Colby City Hall, from 2 to 6 p.m. on Saturday.

About 170 persons were in attendance. A cafeteria style lunch was served and the room was decorated with bouquets of lilacs, tulips, honeysuckle and hydrangea. Gold colored chrysanthemum bouquets were seen on the tables. Gold colored mums also formed the boutonniere and corsage worn by the honored couple as they greeted their many guests.

Mr. and Mrs. Laabs were married on May 29, 1909, in Stetsonville, the Rev. Lorenz officiating.

Ferdinand J. Laabs, Pocatello, Idaho, was best man at his brother’s wedding and attended the celebration Saturday. Mrs. Laabs, sister, Mrs. Mary Peissig of Milwaukee, who was her attendant, was unable to attend.

Mr. Laabs was born on Dec. 22, 1885, in the town of Green Grove. He is the son of Herman and Ulricka Laabs, and was educated in the elementary school in Green Grove.

Mrs. Laabs is the daughter of Frank and Mary Peissig of the town of Little Black, and was born there on June 6, 1887. She attended school there and resided on her parents’ farm until the time of her marriage.

They have resided in Madison, Peshtigo, Marshfield, and Colby. Mr. Laabs operated a cheese factory near Dorchester from 1902 to 1906. He attended the Wisconsin Dairy School in 1903-04 and instructed in cheesemaking at the school during the winter months. In 1907 he became cheesemaker at the Curtiss cheese factory and was in charge of the creamery department at the Madison Dairy School where he instructed in butter making from 1908-1910. He has owned and operated the Peshtigo creamery, and the Guernsey Hill farm at Colby. He was chosen state master farmer in 1929 and key-dairyman for Marathon County in 1944.

Since 1945, Mr. and Mrs. Laabs have lived in retirement at Colby. They have one daughter, Mrs. Edward (Anita) Bergstrom of Owen, and two grandchildren, Douglas and Randy Bergstrom.

Out-of-town relatives were, Emil A. Laabs, Colby; Mrs. Lydia Laabs, Owen; Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Milestone, Shullsburg; Mr. and Mrs. William Laabs and family, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Whitman, of Oshkosh; Mr. and Mrs. Orville Laabs and family; Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Laabs and family, Mr. and Mrs. Harold Laabs and family, and Mr. and Mrs. Fred Laabs Jr., all of Curtiss; Mr. and Mrs. Norbert Laabs and family, and Mr. and Mrs. Albert Schultz of Dorchester; Mr. and Mrs. Harold Kasper and daughter, and Mr. and Mrs. Roland Knecht and family of Unity; Mr. and Mrs. Henry Krueger, and daughter, Abbotsford; Mr. and Mrs. Ed Krahn and family, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Laabs, Mr. and Mrs. Hubert Glenzer of Owen, and Mr. and Mrs. Albert Laabs and family, all of Owen, Wis.

Mr. and Mrs. Delmond Olson, Mrs. Martha Meinhold, Mrs. Harry Leibzeit and son, and Miss Betty Perosek, Greenwood; Mr. and Mrs. Dale Bowen, and Mr. and Mrs. Frank Marquardt of Milwaukee; Mr. and Mrs. Anton Ludwig, Stetsonville; Mr. and Mrs. Herman Fritsche, Curtiss; Mr. and Mrs. Herman Marquardt, and Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Lemmer, and daughter, Rothschild, and Mr. and Mrs. Fred Marquardt of Athens.

Out-of-town friends coming for the celebration were: Mr. and Mrs. Adolph Brunstadt, Chippewa Falls; William Fischer, Rib Lake; Mr. and Mrs. Rueben Johnson, Wausau; Mr. and Mrs. Bert Cattanach, Owen, and Mr. and Mrs. Tony Hoffman and son, Auburndale.